Bengaluru, Feb 3 (IANS): Kenkre FC moved a step closer towards rubber stamping their place in the semifinals of the fourth Indian Women's League (IWL) by registering a 3-1 victory over West Bengal's Sreebhumi FC.

Kenkre skipper Soumya Guguloth scored a brace before Aarti pulled one back for Sreebhumi to make it anyone's game. Asha Kumari added a third early in the second half for Kenkre and allowed them to sail on the two-goal cushion towards three points.

Sreebhumi, who are now mathematically out of the race for a place in the semis, needed to win this fixture to keep their hopes alive.

The first blow arrived just five minutes into the game when Soumya Guguloth soared the highest for a corner and scored with a clinical header. She landed awkwardly in the process which left many in the ground concerned, but the skipper was able to carry on and was met with a huge round of applause when she got back to her feet.

Soumya then displayed sheer persistence and after forcing a Sreebhumi defender into losing possession, she pounced onto the ball and with the keeper coming off her line, Soumya made no mistake in making it 2-0 in the 18th minute.

Sreebhumi then made a corner routine count in the 33rd minute, with Aarti doing the honours and heading it past Monika Devi into the Kenkre goal.

The game was poised for an exciting second half but Sreebhumi's momentum was deflated early on. In the 47th minute, it was Soumya again who set up Asha Kumari with a through ball and the latter delivered with precision to make it 3-1.