Margao, Jun 5 : An unbeaten run in the tournament and goals galore in their kitty, a confident India will start as favourites when they face defending champions Bangladesh in the summit clash of the SAFF Women’s Championships here on Saturday.
India would be looking for a record-extending sixth title in the regional tournament with a win against arch rivals Bangladesh whom they have beaten 3-0 in the group stage.
After five title wins on the trot, India could not even reach the finals in the last two editions when Bangladesh walked away with the trophy after beating Nepal on both occasions in 2022 and 2024.
The Crispin Chhetri-coached home side would be eager to make amends of the losses in the earlier two editions and regain the title they had won last in 2019.
India have so far scored 15 goals — 14 in the group stage and one against Bhutan in the semifinals — and conceded none, and they would aim to end the tournament on a blank sheet with Panthoi Chanu under the bar.
The return of star striker Manisha Kalyan in the semifinals has also boosted the team’s attacking power. She did not feature in the group game against Bangladesh and would now be eager to show her tricks against the same opponents.
The 24-year-old joined the squad on Tuesday after being released by her Peruvian club Alianza Lima for the June FIFA international match window that started on June 1 and ends on June 9.
India began their campaign with an emphatic 11-0 victory over Maldives before convincingly blanking Bangladesh 3-0 to top Group B.
Young midfielder Aveka Singh from Delhi, who plies her trade in the Danish women’s second tier side Naestved HG, has been in top form. The 22-year-old is the tournament’s highest scorer so far with four goals, all of which came in the 11-0 win against Maldives. She would be looking to connect more with Manisha upfront and create troubles for the Bangladesh defence.
Goalkeeper Panthoi has been solid under the bar and head coach Chhetri would be hoping her to continue in the same vein.
Shilky Devi Hemam has marshalled the side well so far in the absence of Sweety Devi Ngangbam, who captained the side during the Asian Cup in March and injured during the tournament.
At 69th in the FIFA chart, India are ranked much higher than Bangladesh (107th). But Bangladesh have been a tough side for India and Saturday’s final will also not be a different one.
Historically though, India have enjoyed the upper hand in this rivalry. India have won 10 of the 13 meetings between the two sides, drawing one and losing two. Both those losses came in the last two SAFF Women’s Championships in 2022 and 2024.
Indian squad:
Panthoi Chanu Elangbam, Ribansi Jamu, Shreya Hooda, Astam Oraon, Juli Kishan, Nirmala Devi Phanjoubam, Purnima Kumari, Ranjana Chanu Sorokhaibam, Sarita Yumnam, Thoibisana Chanu Toijam, Aveka Singh, Jasoda Munda, Priyangka Devi Naorem, Sanfida Nongrum, Sangita Basfore, Shilky Devi Hemam, Grace Dangmei, Karishma Shirvoikar, Lynda Kom Serto, Malavika P, Manisha Kalyan, Pyari Xaxa, Soumya Guguloth.
