After two lengthy stoppages and bucketloads of drama, it was Nepal who had the last laugh. In one of the most topsy-turvy football games one can hope to see, the hosts trumped India in the penalty shootouts after drawing level 1-1 at full time in the SAFF Women's Championship semi-final encounter on Sunday (October 27, 2024). (Highlights | More Football News)
Sangita Basfore scored the opener for India, and Nepal struck back through their talismanic forward Sabitra Bhandari. The home team emerged triumphant by a 4-2 margin in the subsequent penalty shootouts to spark wild celebrations among the almost packed house bearing a partisan, passionate Nepali crowd.
Nepal will play Bangladesh in the final. In the first semi-final, Bangladesh thumped Bhutan by a resounding 7-1 margin.
The second semi-final witnessed more drama off the pitch than inside.
Once India took the lead in the 62nd minute through Sangita’s brilliant shot from well outside the box and Nepal scored an “equaliser” that was denied by the referee, the match was held up for more than 70 minutes as the host side refused to continue, protesting the referee’s decision.
The scene on the pitch during this period was of utter confusion with some histrionics displayed by a section of the players and officials, mostly from the home side. The referee Om Choki from Bhutan was the one in the eye of the storm and after lots of discussion between the supervising officials and the Nepal side, the match resumed.
After a long wait, absolute confusion and a complete air of uncertainty, Nepal equalised seconds post resumption through a Sabitra Bhandari goal that stretched the game beyond 90 minutes of play.
In the tie-breaker, Nepal managed to convert all four of their initial attempts, while only Manisha and Karishma Shirvoikar could find the target for India. Skipper Ashalata Devi and Ranjana Chanu were the two who missed for the Blue Tigresses.
The trouble began early in the second half when Nepal striker Rekha Poudel was given the marching orders for her second yellow card offence in the 51st minute. As the Nepal players vehemently protested the referee’s decision, the tension generated in the stands caused the first stoppage of the encounter.
It took around 12 minutes for the match to be resumed. The situation, however, went berserk and totally out of hand 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.
The referee didn’t allow the “goal” and it turned out to be the bone of contention. While the spectators displayed their unhappiness, the Nepal players and officials decided to troop out of the pitch. It took the organisers and the supervising officials more than an hour to sort out the problem.
