East Bengal FC Women Make History, Win Inaugural SAFF Women’s Club Championship with Dominant Final Triumph

NEWS WAVE INDIA: East Bengal FC Women etched their name into South Asian football history on Friday evening, clinching the first-ever SAFF Women’s Club Championship with a commanding 3-0 victory over Nepal’s APF FC in the final at Dashrath Stadium, Kathmandu. With the triumph, the Kolkata giants became the first Indian women’s club to complete a historic treble, having already lifted the Indian Women’s League (IWL) and the Calcutta Women’s Football League titles this season.

Coached by Anthony Andrews, East Bengal capped an extraordinary unbeaten tournament run in emphatic fashion. Across five matches, the Red and Gold brigade scored 16 goals without conceding a single one, underlining their attacking firepower and defensive discipline on the continental stage.

The inaugural SAFF Women’s Club Championship featured five teams from across South Asia—East Bengal FC (India), APF FC (Nepal), Transport United Ladies (Bhutan), Karachi City FC (Pakistan), and Nasrin Sports Academy (Bangladesh). Played in a single round-robin format, the competition saw East Bengal finish top of the standings after comprehensive wins over Transport United Ladies (4-0), Karachi City FC (2-0), and Nasrin Sports Academy (7-0). A goalless draw against APF FC in the final group match set up a much-anticipated rematch in the final between the two best teams of the tournament.

From the opening whistle of the final, East Bengal asserted their authority, dominating possession and pressing high to disrupt the hosts’ rhythm. The breakthrough arrived in the 22nd minute when Ugandan striker Fazila Ikwaput—twice an Indian Women’s League Golden Boot winner—latched onto a long ball from Sarita Yumnam and fired a crisp half-volley past APF goalkeeper Anjana Rana Magar.

The goal only strengthened East Bengal’s grip on the contest. In the 35th minute, Shilky Devi doubled the lead, rising to head home a perfectly delivered cross from Ashalata Devi on the right flank. APF struggled to carve out clear opportunities as East Bengal’s organised pressing and compact shape stifled the Nepali side’s attacking threat, and the teams went into the break with the Indian champions firmly in control at 2-0.

Any hopes of an APF comeback were extinguished almost immediately after the restart. Within seconds of the second half kicking off, Ikwaput struck again, unleashing a low drive from outside the box that slipped through the goalkeeper’s gloves and crossed the line to make it 3-0.

With the result effectively sealed, East Bengal shifted focus to game management, maintaining possession and defensive solidity to preserve their clean sheet. APF attempted a late resurgence, but the backline—marshalled by goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu and defenders Ashalata Devi, Abena Anoma Opoku, Sushmita Lepcha, and Sarita Yumnam—stood firm to deny the hosts any consolation.

Speaking after the historic triumph, head coach Anthony Andrews praised the collective effort behind the treble-winning season. “Winning three trophies in a season is not an easy task. It’s a collective effort. We’ve really played well,” he said. “We did our homework thoroughly before coming here, and we came here to make a statement. Our IWL campaign will begin in just three days’ time, so we’ll celebrate just tonight and shift our focus to our IWL title defence.”

With the SAFF Women’s Club Championship trophy added to their cabinet, East Bengal FC Women have not only stamped their authority in South Asia but also set a new benchmark for Indian women’s club football.