Indian Women's Football Team forward Manisha Kalyan records hattrick of assists in UEFA Women's Champions League

Manisha Kalyan starred for her side Apollon Ladies FC on the continental stage as the team from Cyprus ousted North Macedonian outfit Ljuboten by a scoreline of 9-0 in the UEFA Women's Champions League Qualifiers Round 1. With this win, they have reached the final round of the Qualification stage.

The Indian winger came onto the pitch as a substitute in the 46th minute and recorded three assists to take the game out of the reach of Ljuboten, who already conceded five in the first half itself.

After coming on in the 46th minute, Manisha was a constant threat on Apollon's left flank. Savva played a delectable pass into the left channel for the 21-year-old winger in the 56th minute and she set off on a marauding run. Her cross was bundled into the back of the net by Joana Dantas.

In the 79th minute, Manisha Kalyan combined with Savva again who played an identical pass to her. Beating the opposing fullback with raw pace, her cross was calmly finished off by Sydney Nasello at the far post.

Her final assist came in the 90th minute when Manisha received a long ball near the byline. Bringing the pass down with ease, she took another touch to beat the defender and then lashed it across for Eleni Giannou who tapped it into the open net to make it 9-0 for Apollon Ladies FC.

Apollon Ladies qualified for the Qualification Round of the UWCL after lifting the Cypriot First Division for Women. They have won the last three editions of the league, and 13 of the 16 editions they have participated in, by far the most successful side from the country.

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Manisha Kalyan - Leading the way for Women's Football in India

Manisha Kalyan has often been discussed as the most talented player to grace Indian football in recent years.

Born in Muggowal in Punjab, the speedy winger started playing football from a very early age. A product of the Sethu Youth Academy, she donned Sethu's jersey in her first season in the Indian Women's League before joining newly-formed Gokulam Kerala in 2018.

With the Malabarians, Kalyan blossomed into one of the most devastating forwards in the country, winning the IWL in the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons. She also represented them in the AFC Women's Club Championship.

Following in the footsteps of Bala Devi, who joined the Rangers WFC in 2020, Manisha too would go on to ply her trade abroad when Apollon came calling for her in 2022.

The 21-year-old was a regular in the youth set-ups of the Indian National Women's Team. She made her debut for the senior side at the age of just 17 against Hong Kong in 2019.

One of her most memorable moments in the Blue Tigresses' jersey came when Manisha Kalyan scored a historic goal in a 6-1 defeat against Brazil at the International Women's Football Tournament of Manaus in 2021.