Host Nepal knocked five-time champions India out of the 7th SAFF Women Football Championship, winning the tense second semifinal match 4-2 in shoot out after play in the regulation time ended in 1-1 draw at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu, Nepal today. In the final on October 30, Nepal will meet defending champions Bangladesh, who demolished Bhutan in the first semifinal 7-1 earlier in the day.
Sangita Basfore gave India the lead in the 62nd minute, while Sabitra Bhandari restored parity for Nepal four minutes later. In the shootout, Manisha Kalyan and Karishma Shirvoikar scored for India, while Ashalata Devi and Ranjana Chanu failed. Sabitra Bhandari, Gita Rana, Sabita Magar and Amisha Karki netted for Nepal.
Trouble started earlier in the second half of the match as Rekha Poudel, the leading scorer of Nepal was given the marching order for her second yellow-card offence in the 51st minute. Play was stopped for around 12 minutes as Nepal players vehemently protested against the red card.
The situation, however, went totally out of control after India took the lead. As the Indian players went near the bench to celebrate the goal, Nepal did the restart and put the ball into an open Indian net.
But as referee Om Choki from Bhutan did not allow the goal Nepal players walked off the pitch. It took the organisers and the supervising officials more than an hour to sort out the problem. However, seconds after the match resumed Nepal equalized through Bhandari.
This was the second defeat in the tournament for India, who earlier lost to Bangladesh in their second and last Group-A match 1-3 earlier on October 23. However, India qualified for the semifinals on the strength of their 5-2 win against Pakistan in the opening match on October 17.
The 23-member Indian team featured only one player from Odisha – defender Juli Kishan. Ace Odisha forward Pyari Xaxa did not get a berth in the team.
INDIAN WOMEN TEAM:
Goalkeepers: Payal Ramesh Basude, Elangbam Panthoi Chanu, Linthoingambi Devi Maibam.
Defenders: Ashalata Devi Loitongbam, Shilky Devi Hemam, Juli Kishan, Ranjana Chanu Sorokhaibam, Sanju, Dalima Chhibber, Aruna Bag, Linthoingambi Devi Wangkhem.
Midfielders: Anju Tamang, Priyangka Devi Naorem, Sangita Basfore, Karthika Angamuthu.
Forwards: Rimpa Haldar, Grace Dangmei, Soumya Guguloth, Karishma Purushottam Shirvoikar, Sandhiya Ranganathan, Manisha Kalyan, Jyoti Chouhan, Ngangom Bala Devi.
Team Staff: Santosh Kashyap (Head coach), Priya PV (Assistant coach), Lourembam Ronibala Chanu (Goalkeeper coach).
INDIA RESULTS:
17 Oct 2024 (League match): India (Dangmei Grace 5, 42, Manisha Kalyan 17, Ngangom Bala Devi 35, Jyoti Chouhan 78) beat Pakistan (Suha Hirani 45+2(P), Kalya Marie Siddqi 47) 5-2. PoM: Dangmei Grace.
23 Oct 2024 (League match): India (Ngangom Bala Devi 44) lost to Bangladesh (Afeida Khandaker 18, Tohura Khatun 29, 42) 1-3. PoM: Tohura Khatun.
27 Oct 2024 (Semifinal): India (Sangita Basfore 62) drew with Nepal (Sabitra Bhandari 66) 1-1. Shootout: Nepal (Sabitra Bhandari, Gita Rana, Sabita Magar, Amisha Karki) beat India (Manisha Kalyan, Karishma Shirvoikar) 4-2.
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PHOTO: Indian Women Football Team, featuring Odisha defender Juli Kishan (Front row, extreme left), pose at the SAFF Women Championship in Kathmandu on 17 October 2024.