Thrilling Matches and Dramatic Scenes Mark Women's Football in South Asia

The Indian Women's League (IWL) is set to return on January 10, 2025, with an expanded eight-team league. Meanwhile, India exits the SAFF Women's Championship following a penalty shootout loss to Nepal amid dramatic match interruptions and a tense atmosphere.

The Indian Women's League (IWL) is poised to return for its second season in a home-and-away format, starting January 10, 2025. The league will expand to include eight teams, with Sreebhumi FC and NITA Football Academy joining the ranks as the latest entrants. The action-packed season will kick off with a double-header featuring defending champions Odisha FC against East Bengal FC, followed by Gokulam Kerala FC facing newcomers Sreebhumi FC. These details were revealed in a press release from the AIFF Media Team.

In a separate development, the Indian team exited the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women's Championship 2024 after losing to Nepal in a dramatic penalty shootout. The semi-final, held at Dasharath Stadium, was marred by controversy when a Nepal goal was disallowed, leading to a lengthy match delay. Despite initially taking the lead with a brilliant long-range shot by Sangita Basfore, India succumbed to penalties after Nepal's Sabitra Bhandari equalized following a tense interruption.

The atmosphere turned chaotic as both teams engaged in prolonged discussions with officials. The extended delay affected India's performance, and they eventually lost the shootout. Despite the initial drama, spectators witnessed a nail-biting finish as Nepal converted all their penalties to secure a spot in the final against Bangladesh, who triumphed over Bhutan in their respective semi-final.

(With inputs from agencies.)