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Bhubaneswar: As like every year, Odia Women footballers dominated the national platform with seven among the 20-member Indian team for the SAFW Women Championship, which begins at Colombo on September 7. Out of seven Odia players four belongs to Odisha, goal-keeper Sita Sharma, defender Alochana Senapati, mid-fielders Supriya Routary and Lochana Munda. Three other Odia players, who are employed in Bihar, former captain Sasmita Mallick, fellow forward Pinky Bompal Magar and mid-fielder Suprava Samal. Besides the players, Odisha’s Mohammad Shahid Jabber and former international player Ranjita Mohanty were named as head coach and goalkeeping coach. Manipur’s Oinam Bembem Devi will lead the team. Meanwhile, Football Association of Odisha has selected five players to join the national under-19 girls selection-cum-trial camp, at Gandhinager in Gujarat for the forthcoming AFC U-19 Girls Asian Cup qualifiers (round-1) to be held this year. Subhaprava Rout, Tikina Samal (both sports hostel, Bhubaneswar), Kausalya Barik, Sinulata Sahoo and Rachita Malick (all Kendrapada) are the selected players.
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