BHUBANESWAR: Captain Dular Marandi scored four goals in a memorable performance to lead SSB to a 5-2 win over Odisha Police in an Indian Women's League match on Saturday.
The local side took an early lead after confusion among the SSB defenders resulted in Suman Pragnya Mohapatra scoring in the sixth minute.
However, SSB's in-form skipper Marandi pulled one back in the 27th minute. She went on to score the second in the 37th minute with a perfectly-timed header from inside the box after SSB won a free-kick in a dangerous area.
Naorem Sumila Chanu made it 3-1 just before half-time as she was left unmarked by the Odisha Police defenders on the left flank.
After switching sides, Marandi completed her hat-trick by scoring the West Bengal-based side's fourth goal in the 57th minute. The skipper met Sumila Chanu's diagonal cross and tapped it in.
Minutes later, the No. 10 once again got onto the scoresheet, this time from a very difficult angle.
Odisha Police pulled one back in the dying seconds of the game. Lochana Munda's goal-bound cross from the right flank was too hot to handle for the SSB goalkeeper and she spilled it into her own net.
In another match of the day, Kickstart FC defeated ARA FC 3-0 at the 7th Batallion ground.
The win helped Kickstart consolidate their third position on the points table.
A brace from Yumlembam Pakpi Devi (47th, 65th minute) and another goal from Thingbaijam Babysana Devi (75th) was enough to ensure a comfortable victory for Kickstart FC.
