Asmita Khawas scored a hat-trick as Bagmati Youth Club started their ANFA Women’s League with a 5-1 rout of Sudurpaschim Province at the ANFA Complex in Lalitpur on Monday.

Sahara Limbu and Aarati Bhujel were also on target for Bagmati. Tulchha Bohara pulled one back for Sudurpaschim.

Sudurpaschim were toothless both in front and back, lacked composure and were disorganised throughout the game. It fully benefited Bagmati, who showed no mercy and slaughtered the opponents every time they found a chance.

Sudurpaschim’s poor defending was mostly to blame for their disastrous show at Satdobato that gifted Bagmati three of their five goals.

Khawas was the first to draw blood in the 17th minute. Bhujel took advantage of a poor defending from Manisha Okheda and supplied Khawas inside the box to slam into the bottom corner.

Limbu doubled Bagmati’s lead in the 26th minute, thanks to another defending blunder from Sudurpaschim. Sangita BK gave away the possession inside the box to Limbu, who quickly launched a high ball over the clueless goalkeeper Tikesori Saud before finding the net.

Bhujel, who assisted Khawas early, then wrote her name in the scoresheet in the 36th minute capitalising on a ridiculous mistake from defender Jharana Thapa Magar, whose thoughtless act of backpassing the ball inside her own area allowed Bhujel to charge a left-footed strike that stung goalie Saud before going in.

Sudurpaschim showed improvements after finding them on the backfoot so early, but could not stop Khawas to beautifully execute a counter attack in the 79th minute.

Khawas then completed her hat-trick in the 81st minute, scoring a volley past a half-hearted goalkeeper Saud, who did not even choose to make an effort to reach the incoming ball.

However, Bagmati’s weak defending was exposed out in the open in the 90th minute when Anisha BK’s careless approach let Sudurpaschim’s Bohara to get the better of Bagmati’s three defenders and goalkeeper Karun Budhathoki.

On Sunday, Koshi Province thrashed Waling Municipality 4-0 to kickstart the Women’s League, which finally happened after about two and a half years.

ANFA had not been able to hold the Women’s League since the last edition of the women’s league—National Women’s League—abruptly ended after the first round in April 2022 citing “various reasons”.

The first round of the 2022 edition was held in Chitwan from March 24 to April 13.

The Armed Police Force Club were declared the winners—their fifth title—weeks later by virtue of their top position in the eight-team standings.

APF will begin their defence of their title against their departmental rivals on Tuesday.

Chandrapur Municipality take on Karnali Province in Tuesday's another action.