Indian Women's League 2024-25 to kick-off on January 10

This season, the IWL expands to an eight-team league, with last season's IWL 2 champions, Sreebhumi FC (West Bengal), and runners-up NITA Football Academy (Odisha) joining as new entrants, according to a press release from the AIFF Media Team.

The league will kick off on January 10 with a double-header, as defending champions Odisha FC face East Bengal FC at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, followed by a clash between Gokulam Kerala FC and Sreebhumi FC at the Payyanad Stadium in Manjeri.

In other news, India exited the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women's Championship 2024 after a 2-4 loss to Nepal in a penalty shootout during the semi-final at Dasharath Stadium on Sunday.

Nepal will face Bangladesh in the final, following Bangladesh's 7-1 victory over Bhutan in the first semi-final.

The semi-final match was eventful, drawing a packed crowd. A penalty shootout was required after the full-time score ended in a 1-1 draw amidst dramatic scenes off the pitch. India initially took the lead in the 62nd minute with a stunning long-range shot from Sangita Basfore. When Nepal scored what appeared to be an equaliser, it was disallowed by the referee, halting the match for over 70 minutes as the home side protested the decision, according to the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

During this interruption, the atmosphere on the pitch became tense and chaotic, with visible frustration from players and officials, predominantly from the host side. Bhutanese referee Om Choki waited patiently for more than an hour, resuming the match only after extensive discussions between officials and Nepal's team.

The prolonged delay and resulting confusion disrupted India's rhythm and concentration. Shortly after play resumed, Nepal's Sabitra Bhandari scored the equaliser, sending the game into extra time.

In the shootout, Nepal converted all four of their initial attempts, while only Manisha and Karishma Shirvoikar scored for India. Captain Ashalata Devi and Ranjana Chanu missed their shots, leading to India's exit.

Tensions had surfaced earlier in the second half when Nepal's striker Rekha Poudel received a second yellow card in the 51st minute, prompting protests from the Nepalese players. The uproar in the stands even led an assistant referee to momentarily abandon her post.

Play resumed after a 12-minute delay, but further chaos erupted following India's goal. As Indian players celebrated, Nepal attempted to restart play, placing the ball into India's undefended net, which the referee disallowed, sparking renewed protest. The organisers and officials took over an hour to resolve the issue, leaving India, previously in strong form, unsettled. Once play resumed, India's performance visibly declined, and they were unable to regain their composure for the remainder of the match. (ANI)