Eastern Region hammered Mid-Western Region 14-0 to enter the super league stages of the Women’s National League Football here at the Anfa Complex on Thursday.

Eastern needed at least a victory by six-goal margin to make it through and the flurry of goals helped them edge Central Region with a superior six-goal difference to finish Group ‘A’ runners-up to Nepal Police Club (NPC). Central, who lost to NPC 3-0 in the second match of the day, were tied second with Eastern on four points.

Unbeaten NPC, who had crushed Mid-Western 13-0 and eased past Eastern Region 4-1 in their previous two matches, sailed through as pool winners with nine points. 

Rekha Paudel scored four goals alone, while Reshma Rai and Saru Limbu also completed hat-tricks in Eastern’s thumping victory. Other goals came from Bimala Sherpa, Samjhana Lawati, Kopila Dhimal and Sima Chamling and Saru Limbu. 

Eastern Region coach Bhagawati Rana Magar said it was mission accomplished for her side. “We came here to reach the second round of the tournament and my girls did that,” said Rana Magar. “I am happy with the way they performed and we will give all we have to compete against the strong departmental sides,” Rana Magar told the official website of the All Nepal Football Association. 

Eastern are the only non-departmental sides with Tribhuvan Army Club and Nepal APF Club already making it through from Group ‘B’ with one round of the league matches left in the pool. 

While it was mission accomplished for Eastern, Central were left dejected despite putting a brave performance against holders NPC. Ghim Kumari Gurung put NPC ahead in the 12th minute but NPC had to wait long for their second goal with Yashoda Lama converting her freekick in the second minute of first half stoppage time.

Central Region did well to contain NPC for the entire 45 minutes in the second half before another stoppage time goal from Ranjita Gurung made it 3-0.