Star forward Sabitra Bhandari broke KRYPHSA hearts by scoring an 87th minute winner as Gokulam Kerala FC clinched the Indian Women’s League title with a 3-2 victory at the Football Stadium here on Friday.
KRYPHSA skipper Dangmei Grace led her side’s spirited comeback from being 2-0 down, but Sabitra had the last laugh, turning in a low square ball from Manisha on the left flank with the outside of her right foot.
Match highlights | KRYPHSA vs Gokulam Kerala
Gokulam took the lead in the very first minute when Sabitra raced past two defenders down the left wing and laid the ball for an easy tap in by Prameshwori Devi. Near the half-hour mark, Gokulam doubled the lead when Kamala Devi’s deflected free-kick wrong-footed the KRYPHSA goalie before bulging the net.
But from thereon until the winner, KRYPHSA shaded the contest. Grace reduced the deficit when she bundled in a free-kick that rolled across the face of the goal. Ratanbala Devi equalised on 72 minutes, converting a cross from the right by Ranjana Chanu.
Grace could have settled it with ten minutes to go but she missed a point-blank header off a fine cross by Ratanbala. It was not long before Sabitra made her pay.
“I am very happy,” said Sabitra later. “I helped my team become champion and I scored the most number of goals as well. So I am thrilled.”
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