Pyari Xaxa's Hat-Trick Heroics Lead Nita FA to 5-0 Rout in IWL

Pyari Xaxa (2', 31', 76') scored her second hat-trick in as many matches, helping her side take the game away from Kickstart in the first half itself. Nita FA's Togolese forward Amiratou N'Djambara (38') and India U20 international Neha (64') scored one each.

Nita FA remain at the top of the league at the moment, with seven points from three matches, after their second win by a margin of five goals. They won their last game 6-1 against Sesa FA. Kickstart, meanwhile, are yet to score a point in their three matches, and now languish in the relegation zone.

The side from Cuttack seems to have developed a propensity to score early goals, and they opened the scoring against Kickstart just as the clock ticked into the second minute. Neha produced a perfect cross from the left that Pyari, rushing in at the far post, tapped in.

The 19-year-old was a menace down the left wing and kept troubling Kickstart in the early exchanges.

Kickstart began to gain some foothold in the game after the opening exchanges, Kiran Pisda playing a key role for them in the middle. Nita FA goalkeeper Adrija Sarkhel had to pull off a diving save to keep a long shot by Kiran out in the 12th minute. The latter produced another shot from long range, this time on the turn, but Adrija managed to tip it around the post.

Nita FA head coach Paromita Sit, realising that her side was losing control of the game, made an early substitution, bringing on Jasoda Munda in place of Poonam.

Her tactic paid dividends soon enough. Neha produced another cross in the 31st minute, as Pyari poked it in on the volley.

Two goals already to her name, Pyari soon turned provider when Ghanaian midfielder Matilda Kwao barged upfield to play to the former, who, with one touch, set Amiratou up to score the third of the game.

Kickstart started the second half with more intent, though the Nita FA defence managed to hold on. Their best chance came in the 49th minute, when substitute Olivia Chanu's cross was brought down by Kiran, who set it up for Lhingneilam Kipgen to have a crack, but Adrija was up to the task once again, diving to keep Kickstart out.

After setting up the first two goals, Neha finally got one of her own when Matilda played her through on the left. The 19-year-old burst into the box and smashed it into the bottom corner.

Pyari got her second hat-trick of the season in the 78th minute, finishing off any thoughts of a fightback that Kickstart may have had. Bhumika Devi, with the outside of her boot, set Amiratou through on the right. The Togolese forward chipped it to Pyari at the far post, as the latter finished it off.

- IANS