Bhubaneswar, May 18: Orissa created history today by thrashing Bengal 5-0 to bag its maiden title in the 19th Senior National Women’s Football National Championship at the Pant Stadium in Bhilai.

Centre forward Sasmita Mallick, who was the leading goal scorer at the tournament for Orissa with 12 goals, fired a brace in the fifth and 80th minutes in the final match of the tournament. Jabamoni Soren (50th), Pinky Bompal-Magar (60th) and Shradhanjali Samantaray (71st) scored one goal each.

With just five minutes remaining for the historic moment, the game was interrupted by heavy rains last evening. The Orissa team led by Alochana Senapati sealed the victory when the match resumed today at 7:30am.

“It was indeed a memorable moment for me and my teammates. After winning the National Games for the second consecutive time this year, we wanted to continue with our winning streak. We had practiced very hard and were confident of clinching the trophy this time,” said Sasmita, who had scored five goals, including a hat-trick, at the last National Games at Jharkhand in February.

The team is scheduled to arrive at the Cuttack railway station from Bhilai tomorrow morning at six. The Football Association of Orissa has announced a cash prize of Rs 2.20lakh for the team. Each of the 20 players, coach and manger would be given Rs 10,000 for achieving the feat.

“We are extremely proud of our girls. They are determined, confident and have taken the state to newer heights. They have been winning the gold medal at the National Games since two years and now this maiden victory in the seniors’ category,” said Ashirbad Behera, president of the Orissa Olympic Association.

Behera said this was the fourth time that Orissa had made it to the finals of this tournament. On three earlier occasions, the team had finished second, losing to Manipur each time in 2002, 2008 and 2010.

This year, Bengal trounced Manipur in the semi-finals while Orissa defeated Goa.

“When Manipur lost, we were bit relieved since they have won the title 14 times. We had defeated Bengal 4-0 earlier in the tournament so we were hopeful that we could repeat the success,” said Chitrasen Patra, coach of the Orissa team.

In other league matches, Orissa had registered thumping victories against Kerala (13-0) and Haryana (4-0).

Incidentally, Orissa conceded only one goal in the tournament and that was scored by Goa. Out of the 52 goals scored by Orissa, Sasmita scored 14. The other goal scorers include Pinky Bompal-Magar (13), Shraddhanjali Samantaray and Supriya Rout (nine each), Jabamani Soren (three), Gayatrii Mallick (two), Manisha Panna and Gomati Bara (one each).

Football fans are over the moon following the victory, which, they said, would do a world of good to the women’s football in the state.

“In fact women have been doing much better than our men who, for quite sometime, have gone without a trophy. Let’s celebrate it,” said Shivani Mishra, an aspiring footballer.