Gokulam Kerala FC began their AFC Women’s Club Championship campaign with a 2-1 loss against home team Amman FC of Jordan at the Aqaba stadium on Sunday. Gokulam were the first ones to score through Ghana’s Elshaddai Acheampong but Amman came back strong in the second half and took it away from the Indian club. In the other match of the day, Iran’s Shahrdari Sirjan sprung a surprise against Uzbekistan’s FC Bunyodkar, registering a 2-1 win to kickstart their campaign on a high. Shahrdari’s Jalal Nasab (6′) and Zahra Alizadeh (65′) put them two goals up and while Bunyodkar’s Dildora Nazimova scored a penalty in the 77th minute to bring them back, the Iranian club held on for the win.
Gokulam captain and goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan was sprung into action early on in the match when Amman put the Gokulam defence under extreme pressure. Gokulam were close to conceding an own goal but held on to keep the scoreline level.
There was a barrage of attacks from Amman very early on and Gokulam had a few nerves to deal. Kashmina had a free kick from a good position early on but she hit way off the target.
In the 32nd minute, Amman went high up the pitch searching for a goal but Aditi collected the ball well and to her credit, she spotted Elshaddai up front and immediately released the ball. Elshaddai showed her speed and power in that moment and she ran ahead of her defender and chipped the goalkeeper to put Gokulam in the lead.
Thereafter, Gokulam held their own and managed the game well to go into the break with a 1-0 lead.
In the second half, Amman came back with renewed energy and better game play as Gokulam were pushed to the backfoot. In the 56th minute, Amman’s kick towards the goal hit Michel Margaret on her extended arm at the edge of the line. While the on-field referee had given a free kick just outside the box, VAR turned that into a penalty. Maysa Zaid Mahmoud Jbarah stepped up from the spot and scored a sweet one into the top left corner.
In the 63rd minute, Elshaddai had a golden chance to put Gokulam in the lead again when some good link up play between Dalima Chhibber, Win Theingi Tun and Soumya Guguloth set up the Ghanaian but her shot was off the target.
Just four minutes later, Amman got a free kick on the right of the box and Samia Ouni, their free kick and corner kick taker, went for goal and scored to the near post to give the home team the lead.
From there, Amman held on to their advantage and gave little to Gokulam in the name of hope.
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