Eastern Sporting Union win a thriller in Hero IWL opener

Riding on Prameshwori's twin strike, defending champions Eastern Sporting Union notched up a thrilling 3-2 win over Indira Gandhi Academy for Sports & Education in the opening fixture of the Hero Indian Women's League here today.

Two goals from Prameshwori in the 47th and 59th minute was difference between the two sides in an edge-of-the-seat thriller.

For ESU took the lead in the 25th minute through Kashmina before Paromita equalised in the 43rd for IGASE. Prameshwori again gave the upper hand to ESU in the 47th but Sandhiya scored the second goal for IGASE in the 48th as IGASE again bounced back.

In the end, it was the 59th minute goal from Prameshwori, which sealed the contest in their favour at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here.

Eastern Sporting Union started out strongly as they strung together a wave of attacks. Prameshwori and Kashmina combined well to trouble the IGASE backline.

Sweety came close with her free-kick in the 16thminute, which just brushed the crossbar on its way out before Prameshwori forced a save out of goalie Crystal in the 20th.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 25th minute when Kashmina hit the back of the net. A goal line save by Anjali in the 31st kept the score line intact as IGASE struggled to contain the wave of attacks.

A chance for an equaliser came in the 42nd minute when IGASE were given a penalty but Sandhiya scuffled the shot for Panthoi to make an easy save. A minute later though Paromita made the most of a goal mouth melee to make 1-1 as the teams headed into half-time.

The second half began with a bang as Prameshwori struck with a wonderful strike in the 47th minute to make it 2-1. The celebrations though were short lived as Sandhiya made up for her scuffed penalty to equalise in the 48th.

The goal vitalised the team from down South as Sandhiya, Pradeepa and Radhika gave a lot of trouble to ESU back line. Umapati Devi and Manisa Panna being forced to make a lot of crucial interceptions to keep the strikers at bay.

Goalkeeper Panthoi was also kept on her toes with a couple of crucial saves off Sandhiya and Pradeepa. Then, almost against the run of play Prameshwori struck from a distance. Her long ranger bulging the back of the net in the 59th minute.

Thereafter the IGASE came close a couple of times but the ESU defenders stood tall at the back. Sulatana had a chance to put the match to bed in the 91st but her shot went wide as the game finished 3-2 in favour of the defending champions.

Eastern Sporting Union next play against Rising Student's Club on March 28 while Indira Gandhi Academy SE take on India Rush SC on the same day.