In their second ever tournament since the team’s inception a year back, football for girls seems to have garnered greater support and enthusiasm from the BITSian crowd, as evident by the large turnout at the home team’s first match against MODY University.

The first few minutes of the game were quite uneventful, with both sides trying to take possession of the ball. The rival team seemed to have an edge, with their quick through-balls and fake maneuvers taking control of the game. However, the home team gained momentum with a quick clearance by defense, and they pushed ahead, bringing the ball up from the flanks. Yet, they were rebuffed on several instances, and neither side made any progress for a while.

A missed pass by the home side put the ball out of play and a corner kick was awarded to the opponent. Himadri, captain of the rival team, set up a quick pass to the center. A stumble in the defense left the area wide open and number fifteen, Rabina, netted the ball. A rousing cheer from the striker confirmed the crowd’s worst nightmare. The home side were trailing by 1-0. ‘I would like to dedicate the goal to my team and the coach,’ said the overjoyed striker, in a later interview with the BOSM English Press.

Fatigue seemed to set on the players early in the second half. The pace reduced and the teams began to clear the ball to the front rather than build up the play from the defense. A few chances were created, but none were converted. The crowd began to depart, realizing the futility of the situation. Lack of cheers, a conceded goal, and sheer exhaustion had broken the team’s spirit. At the final whistle, the home team headed back to the dugout to introspect over the below average performance while the opponents could be heard hooting at a distance.