India edge Nepal to win SAFF Women’s Championship

E-Paper | May 02, 2026

India reached the SAFF Women\'s Championship final on the back of a 8-0 win over Pakistan in the semis. —File Photo

India were crowned winners of the inaugural South Asian Football Federation Women’s Championship on Thursday, when they beat Nepal 1-0 in the final at Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazaar Zilla Stadium.

Sasmita Mallick’s 65th-minute winner was enough to see India through to glory, after a goalless first half saw both teams squander several goal-scoring opportunities.

India had been the most dominant team of the tournament, scoring 39 goals in their four matches leading up to the final while maintaining a clean sheet.

Gold medallists at the South Asian Games in February, India entered the final on the back of a comprehensive 8-0 win over arch-rivals Pakistan in the semis. Bala Devi, starred for India in the semi-final with a hat-trick and was adjudged player of the tournament on Thursday.

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Andy Warren

Dec 24, 2010 04:54am

Arch rivals India and Pakistan, good joke. Without any world class womens team whats the importance to this regional competition? It is like Micky and Donald class match. ;)

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