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In their final game of the Indian Women's League, third-placed Kickstart FC narrowly edged past Indian Arrows to register a 1-0 victory at the Capital Ground, Bhubaneswar on Thursday. The Bengaluru-based club finished the season on a high with Margaret Devi's lone goal sealing the three points.
The game was a cagey affair as both sides squabbled for midfield control right from the first whistle. Into the first quarter, neither team had a single shot on target.
In the 38th minute, Thokchom Martina of the Arrows made a long-range attempt from 25 yards out but her shot was comfortably grabbed by Linthoi Devi. Six minutes later, the needle swung the other way when Kickstart FC broke the deadlock through Margaret Devi.
Kaviya Pakkirisamy darted down the right flank and drilled in a cross that was deflected off an Arrows defender and Margaret Devi reacted quickly to bury it home.
Indian Arrows continue their hunt for the equalizer in the second half
Coming out after the break, the Arrows continued their surge forward as they created a couple of half-chances. Apurna Narzary came close to equalizing in the 57th minute. She made a wonderful run into the box, skipping past Sweety Devi and Nirmala Devi but her shot went narrowly wide.
The AIFF developmental side came close in the dying minutes of the game yet again. In the 82nd minute, Shanmugarpriya S crossed the ball for the Arrows topscorer, Priyangka Devi, who was just outside the box. However, the latter's shot from outside the box missed the target by a whisker.
The victory was largely inconsequential as the Karnataka-based side had already sealed the third spot in the league table. However, it would definitely give Kickstart FC the satisfaction of finishing their season on a high. On the other hand, the Indian Arrows ended in fifth place.
