Football
YWC, Manipur hit five past Pune Krida Prabhodhini Academy in Lxme IWL 2 opener
Football · Lxme IWL 2 2026-27 · Group B
YWC, Manipur hit five past Pune Krida Prabhodhini Academy in Lxme IWL 2 opener
Alva scored twice, Herina, Abema and Luxmi added one each, and goalkeeper Phajathoi kept a clean sheet as Golden Tomba’s young side won 5–0 in Bhubaneswar. It could have been many more.
By PurePlay India · 25 October 2026
Youth Welfare Club (YWC), Manipur opened their Lxme IWL 2 2026-27 campaign with a commanding 5–0 win over Pune Krida Prabhodhini Academy in Group B at Capital Football Arena, Bhubaneswar, on Saturday, 24 October.
The Chanuras took time to find their feet. Once the first goal went in, they looked more dangerous and more energetic with every attack. They led 2–0 at half-time, scored three more after the break, and never let their opponents settle.
The goals
- 10′Alva: Abema slipped a through ball between the two centre-backs and Alva made no mistake.
- 29′Herina doubled the lead before the half-hour mark.
- 52′Alva struck again early in the second half for her brace.
- 56′Abema, the provider for the opener, got on the scoresheet herself.
- 82′Luxmi completed the scoring and was named Player of the Match.
Midfield in control
YWC’s midfield bossed the game and was superior in every department. They controlled the tempo with short, patient passing, then switched quickly to release the strikers or the wingers on either flank. The transition from defence to attack was smooth, and whenever YWC had the ball, they looked dangerous.
Solid at the back
The back line gave the Pune forwards no space. There was a clear understanding between the defenders and goalkeeper Phajathoi. Pune Krida Prabhodhini Academy came close only twice, and on both occasions Phajathoi produced a brilliant save to protect the clean sheet.
On the touchline, head coach Wangkheirakpam Tomba Singh, the former India international known as Golden Tomba, was animated throughout, constantly guiding his young players. YWC were without the talented Redima, who sat out after picking up a knock in training.
Five, but it could have been ten
For all the dominance, this was also a lesson in finishing. YWC missed four very good chances, and with more composure in front of an open goal the scoreline could easily have reached double figures.
That is the gap between a young squad and an experienced finisher. On the same day, Manipur’s own Bala Devi, India’s first woman footballer to score 50 international goals, scored eight as United Kolkata SC beat Mata Rukmani FC 11–0 in Group A. She may have lost some of her pace, but her calm, composed finishing remains her greatest strength. It is exactly what the young players of Manipur can learn from her.
YWC, Manipur (4-4-2): Phajathoi (GK); Tabitha, Alena, Mathoi, Joyshini; Silky, Luxmi, Abema, Roshibina (C); Alva, Herina.
Substitutions: Rosy for Alva (68′), Ronika for Silky (68′), Taniya for Abema (82′), Lamnganbi for Luxmi (82′), Priyadashini (#12) for Roshibina (90+1′).
Head coach: Wangkheirakpam Tomba Singh
Manipur has long been the engine room of Indian women’s football. A young YWC side winning this convincingly on its IWL 2 debut shows that the pipeline is still producing. The next step is turning dominance into goals. If the Chanuras sharpen their finishing, they will be a serious contender in Group B.
Follow PurePlay India for full coverage of YWC, Manipur and Lxme IWL 2 at pureplayindia.in.
PurePlay India is the official consultant and media partner of YWC, Manipur. Match data from the AIFF match centre. Photos: AIFF / Capri Sports.
