MARGAO
Goa’s campaign in the 30th Senior Women’s National Football Championship for the Rajmata Jijabai Trophy 2025“26 came to a dismal end on Tuesday as they were hammered 5“0 by a dominant Tamil Nadu side at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground in Narainpur, Chhattisgarh.
The heavy loss not only knocked Goa out of the tournament but also highlighted serious issues in team spirit, defensive organisation, and overall cohesion. Meanwhile, the win saw Tamil Nadu bounce back in Group A, moving to second place with six points from three games, staying firmly in contention for the knockout stage.
The match began on a relatively even note, with both sides testing each other early on. However, the momentum shifted decisively when India international Priyadharshini was brought on as a substitute in the 32nd minute. Just seven minutes later, Goa’s Shaundelle Gomes brought down Tamil Nadu captain Nandhini inside the box. Priyadharshini stepped up and converted the resulting penalty to open the scoring in the 39th minute.
Goa failed to regroup after the break, and Tamil Nadu took full advantage. In the 53rd minute, Nandhini split the defense with a clever through ball, allowing Priyadharshini to coolly finish past the Goa goalkeeper for her second.
The third goal saw Priyadharshini turn provider as she danced past defenders, drew the goalkeeper out, and squared the ball to Vinothini, who tapped it into an open net.
Priyadharshini then completed her hat-trick in the 70th minute with a speculative long-range effort that looped over the stranded Goa keeper. Three minutes later, Sharon added the fifth, showing composure despite pressure from a defender to cap off the rout.
Goa’s performance was marked by a lack of fight and cohesion. The team struggled to build any meaningful attacks and was constantly on the back foot against Tamil Nadu’s organised, high-pressure game.
Head coach Alfred Fernandes, a former Churchill Brothers FC manager, did not hold back in his post-match assessment.
“I’m sad, disappointed, and furious,” Fernandes said. “We are Goa, and we should play with fighting spirit and determination, but today’s performance was nowhere near that. We started without the energy and spirit needed to compete at this level.”
He added that the team would use this painful defeat as a learning experience.
“We will work hard to fix our mistakes, improve our cohesion, and play to our true potential in the upcoming matches,” he concluded.
