Gokulam Kerala gave it their all in their ultimate AFC Women’s Club Championship group stage game, grabbing a 3-1 victory over FC Bunyodkor. The game took place at the Aqaba Stadium, Jordan on Saturday.
Right from the first whistle, the Malabarians took an aggressive approach. In-form Ghanian forward Elshaddai Acheampong put her team ahead 33 minutes in with the first goal.
Bagging the opener, Gokulam immediately switched to a more defensive stance. Holding out, they went down the tunnels for half-time with their noses ahead.
Gokulam Kerala a step above FC Bunyodkor
Come the second half, the Uzbek side returned with a different mentality all together. They employed quite a physical defensive approach around the area. Shortly after, Bunyodkor skipper Luiza Sadirova was shown a red card following a risky challenge on Elshaddai inside the area.
Stepping up the spot, Manisha Kalyan coolly doubled their advantage. However, a few minutes, Zoirova Umida went on to the other end of the pitch and pulled one back for her side.
Gokulam Kerala were not over yet. They added another to their tally, making it 3. Columbian Stefanny was the one who added the final blow, topping off a superior build-up with a fine finish. With the extra man, or in this woman, the Malabarians made use of their numerical advantage to positively augment the frequency of their attacks.
Nonetheless, even with a convincing win like that, Gokulam Kerala bow out of the competition. This happens due to them facing defeat in their initial two matches against Amman SC and Shahrdari Sirjan. The team going ahead from each group is determined by a round-robin format.
Elsewhere, Jordanian champions Amman SC overcame Shahrdari Sirjan of Iran 2-1 to clinch the title. Both sides finished the competition with 6 points each. However, Amman SC were ahead of Shahrdari Sirjan on the basis of a better head-to-head record.
Follow our Twitter for regular updates and news.
For more football updates, make sure to follow us on:
