Pyari Xaxa's hat-trick powers Nita FA to win against Sesa

Kolkata, Dec 24 (PTI) Powered by a Pyari Xaxa hat-trick, Nita Football Academy got their first win of the Indian Women's League 2025-26 campaign, demolishing Sesa Football Academy 6-1 at the National Centre of Excellence here on Wednesday.

Xaxa (1', 71', 74') was in hot form, as she completed her hat-trick to help her side to a big win on Christmas eve. Nita FA's Togolese forward Amiratou N'Djambara (25', 60') scored two, while midfielder Bhumika Devi (6') netted one.

Sesa's Ghanaian forward Diana Antwi (90+3') pulled one back at the end.

Nita FA climbed to four points from their two matches, and are provisionally at the top of the IWL table, while Sesa are yet to open their account.

The Odisha side got hold of the proceedings right from the start, and took the lead in the first minute itself, without Sesa getting even a touch of the ball. Nita FA mounted a patient build-up right from kick-off that saw the ball passed 15 times before Pyari finished it off with a tap-in at the far post.

Five minutes later, Bhumika doubled the lead when Sesa goalkeeper Alika spilled the ball into the former's path. The Nita FA midfielder's initial shot was blocked, but she soon got on the rebound and slotted it in.

Bhumika turned provider in the 25th minute, when she shrugged off her marker at the edge of the box and threaded it through to Amiratou, who calmly slid it past the goalkeeper.

The change of ends did not bring about any change in fortunes for Sesa, though Nita FA did take some time to get going in the second half. However, Amiratou made it four in the second half, when Pyari played her through on the hour mark, before she blasted it into the top corner.

Pyari scored her second just 10 minutes later, when she burst into the box and finished it off at the near post. The India international completed her hat-trick with a scorching strike from the edge of the box, after being played through by Bhumika.

Diana Antwi scored Sesa's only goal of the match in injury time, but the damage had already been done by then. PTI AH SSC SSC