Indian Women Football Team First Victory Against Pakistan At SAFF Championship

Indian Women's Football Team has kicked off their season with a victory over the Pakistan football team at Kathmandu's Dashrath Stadium today. The team beats Pakistan with a 3-0 score. This is India's first international competition after Fifa overturned its ban on Indian the All India Football Federation.

The Indian Women's Football team has been assigned to Group A including Pakistan, Maldives, and Bangladesh. The team will now face the Maldives team on September 10 and the Bangladesh team on September 13. India has won all five tournament editions and aims for a sixth straight victory.

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India Pakistan Women Football Match, Victory in debut game

Dangmei Grace and Soumya Guguloth both scored one goal each, alongside a Pakistan own goal. Dangmei Grace was awarded the Player of the match prize. The Indian squad has numerous high-profile athletes, like Aditi Chauhan, Dangmei Grace, and is led by Ashalata Devi. The brief FIFA suspension had an impact on Indian football, and there was concern about the sport's future in the nation. Despite the ban being removed only a few days ago, the team seemed to be confident in their preparedness.

"The banning incidence happened, and it also happens in other nations. Our crew, on the other hand, is well prepared and has forgotten what occurred to us previously. We want to make progress. The team is now fully prepared to tackle the impending obstacles, and our attention is now concentrated on the match against Pakistan,” Captain Ashalata Devi had told the media ahead of their first game against Pakistan. 

Pakistan is competing in the SAFF Women's Championship for the first time since hosting the event in 2014. The last time the two national teams played against each other was in the 2010 semifinal, where India won with an 8-0 score.

Indian’s lineup for today’s game included: Manisa Panna, Aditi Chauhan (GK), Ashalata Devi (C), Priyanka Devi, Ratanbala Devi, Anju Tamang, R. Sandhiya, Dangmei Grace, Ranjana Chanu, and Michel Castanha.

India's 23-player squad includes Aditi Chauhan, Maibam Linthoingambi Devi, and Sowmiya Narayanasamy as the goalkeepers. Sweety Devi, Ritu Rani, Ashalata Devi, Ranjana Chanu, Manisa Panna, Michel Castanha, Juli Kishan, and Santosh are defenders. Midfielders are Anju Tamang, Priyangka Devi, Martina Thokchom, Sandhiya Ranganathan, Kashmina, and Ratanbala Devi. Dangmei GraceApurna Narzary, Dular Marandi, Soumya Guguloth, Renu, and Kiran Pisda, as the forwards. And Suren Chettri is the head coach.