India international Ngangom Bala Devi struck a hat-trick as hosts Sribhumi FC snatched full point from Sethu FC with a 3-2 victory in the Indian Women’s League 2024-25 at the Bibhuti Bhushan Stadium on Sunday.

The class and experience of Bala Devi were on full display as the mercurial striker scored for the winners in the 39th, 49th (penalty), and 65th minutes after Sethu took the lead through Hadijah Nandago in the 37th minute. Lisham Babina Devi pulled one back for the visitors in the 88th minute, but it wasn’t enough to change the course of the encounter.

Advertisement

The win took Sribhumi FC to 12 points from eight matches and to third place in the table, while Sethu have 10 points from eight matches.

The first 30 minutes completely belonged to the home side. Sribhumi were in such a rampaging mood that Sethu were indeed lucky not to have fallen behind by a few goals early in the encounter.

While the fiery presence of the seasoned Bala Devi in the Sribhumi forward line had a rattling effect on the Sethu defence, Rimpa Haldar and Mousumi Murmu gave able support to Bala from the right and left wings respectively. But none of them could find the target when it came to converting chances.

Sribhumi paid the penalty for their misadventures in front of the rival goal. Sethu took the lead largely against the run of the play in the 37th minute. Striker Malavika P, who regularly made her presence felt on the right, sent a cross inside the box and Ugandan striker Hadijah Nandago headed it in with a swift movement of her body.

Their joy, however, was short-lived. A couple of minutes later, Sethu goalkeeper Sarangthem Khambi Chanu palmed away a long ranger that fell onto the path of Bala Devi, who slammed the rebounder in with supreme confidence.

The magic of Bala Devi wasn’t over yet. The star striker unfolded her class once again three minutes into the second half when she scored her second goal from a penalty.

Sethu didn’t learn from their mistakes. In the 65th minute, they allowed Bala Devi to stay unmarked during a corner. The Sribhumi striker completed her hat-trick with ease as she managed to chest the ball into the net.