East Bengal and Gokulam Kerala Secure Wins in Indian Women's League
Match Highlights from the Indian Women's League
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 1: In the latest round of the Indian Women's League (IWL) 2025-26, East Bengal FC and Gokulam Kerala FC both claimed victories against Sethu FC and Sesa FA, respectively, on Thursday. The other two matches, featuring Sribhumi FC against Garhwal United FC and Nita Football Academy versus Kickstart FC Karnataka, ended in draws, as reported by a local media outlet.
East Bengal continued their impressive form with a narrow 1-0 win over former champions Sethu FC in Kolkata. The pivotal moment occurred shortly after the hour mark when Resty Nanziri linked up with Fazila Ikwaput and Soumya Guguloth in a swift attack. Guguloth's run on the right created an opening, allowing Ikwaput to score despite pressure from the goalkeeper, securing the lead for East Bengal, which they successfully defended.
The Moshal Girls have now won all eight of their matches, leading the table with 24 points, while SETHU sits second, trailing by eight points with the same number of games played.
In another match, Gokulam Kerala FC ended their three-match winless streak with a commanding 3-0 victory over SESA Football Academy at the East Bengal Ground. The Malabarians controlled the game and found the net just before halftime when goalkeeper Keisham Melody Chanu initiated a play that led to Asem Roja Devi's goal from distance.
Gokulam extended their lead in the 79th minute through Emueje Ogbiagbevha, who connected with Shilji Shaji, before Shaji himself scored the third goal in the 87th minute, sealing a comprehensive win. This result lifts Gokulam to sixth place in the eight-team league, now with 10 points from eight matches, while SESA remains at the bottom with just one point.
In a thrilling encounter, Sribhumi FC managed to come back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Garhwal United FC at the AIFF National Centre of Excellence. Garhwal took an early lead with goals from Esther Tingjoukim and Elizabeth Danso, but Sribhumi fought back in the second half. Sibani Devi converted a penalty in the 71st minute, and shortly after, Rimpa Haldar scored the equalizer with a long-range shot.
Earlier, Nita Football Academy and Kickstart FC played to a 1-1 draw. The first half was evenly matched, but Nita FA took the lead early in the second half through Kiran Pisda's volley. However, they conceded an own goal late in the match, resulting in a shared point. Nita FA remains third in the IWL standings with 14 points from eight matches, while Kickstart is seventh with seven points from the same number of games.