Jharkhand came back from two goals down to beat Bihar on penalties

by Chittu Shetty June 18, 2019

Jharkhand completed a thrilling victory over neighbours Bihar, as they pounced back in the last 5 minutes of the regulation time to overcome a two-goal deficit. While the match itself ended with a 3-3 scoreline, Jharkhand pipped it 4-3 on penalties.

It was a close start to the game as Jharkhand looked to take the early initiative passing it around. However, Bihar took the lead against the run of play, as Lucky Kumari broke free on the counter and plonked it over the keeper’s head.

They soon doubled that lead, when captain Pallavi Kumari tapped a square pass across the face of the goal into the net. However, Jharkhand took just a minute to pull one back, as Soni Munda ran on to a low cross and put it past the Bihar keeper. Bihar captain Pallavi, however, ensured that her side headed into the tunnel with a two-goal lead at half time, as she nodded in a cross in the third minute of time added on at the end of the first half.

Jharkhand came hard at Bihar in the second half, and only got the fruits of their labour in the last couple of minutes of regulation time, when captain Salina Kumari pulled one back, before Soni Munda scored her second to level the scores at 3-3.

With the scores still level after Extra Time, Jharkhand went on to win it on penalties, as Sindhu Kumari and Sabara Khatun missed two early penalties to put Bihar on the back foot. While Sonam Kumari also missed the fourth penalty for Jharkhand, Modita Kujur converted their fifth to put them in the final.

Jharkhand [Sony Munda 39’, 90+1’, Salina Kumari 88’] 3 (4) – 3 (3) Bihar [Lucky Kumari 33’, Pallavi Kumari 38’, 45+3’]

– Courtesy of AIFF Media