IWL 2025-26: East Bengal eliminates Gokulam Kerala to remain half-way leaders

East Bengal FC ended the first phase of the Indian Women’s League 2025-2026 with a perfect record of 18 points after a 3-0 win over former champions Gokulam Kerala FC at the Kalyani Stadium on Friday.

It was a battle between the winner and the runners-up from last season, and it ended with East Bengal taking another step in its quest to become only the second team in IWL history to win back-to-back titles. The only team to defend the title so far is Gokulam Kerala, but they find themselves in an unwanted relegation battle this season after just one win in seven matches.

Fazila Ikwaput, who scored a hat-trick for Gokulam against East Bengal last season, opened the scoring for the Moshal Girls in the 35th minute before strikes from Resty Nanziri (55′) and Sulanjana Raul (76′) earned another three points for Anthony Andrews’ side.

With six wins in six, East Bengal is two points ahead of second-placed Sethu FC, who defeated Garhwal United FC 4-1.

East Bengal also have a match in hand as the match against Sribhumi FC was postponed due to its commitments in the SAFF Women’s Club Championship. That match will take place in the second phase of the competition, which is expected to start in April after the conclusion of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup and the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup.

Gokulam Kerala, meanwhile, are in sixth place with seven points, just one above Kickstart FC in the relegation zone.

East Bengal have averaged more than six goals per match in their last three matches but Gokulam Kerala were not a total pushover on Friday afternoon. To their credit, the Malabarians were defensively sharp and confident in the opening half hour, and the Moshal Girls had no easy task creating chances.

On the other hand, East Bengal lost its leader and defender Sweety Devi Ngangbam to a knee injury after 15 minutes. She was replaced by veteran Ashalata Devi Loitongbam, who played a huge role in East Bengal’s win.

It was the 32-year-old’s long ball that created the first real chance for Anthony Andrews’ side. The measured delivery landed at the feet of Fazila, who hit a powerful shot on the turn, but Shreya Hooda was level in the Gokulam Kerala goal. Around the half-hour mark, Abena Anoma Opoku ventured forward from the defense and sent a long-range strike from 25 yards over the bar.

East Bengal’s opening goal finally came in the 36th minute, and unsurprisingly it was another aerial shot that unlocked the Malabarians’ defence. Ashalata’s diagonal ball picked out Astam Oraon at the far post. The 20-year-old unselfishly cut back for Fazila, who scored with a first-time finish. Shreya got a hand on the ball but couldn’t keep it out.

However, the Gokulam goalkeeper should have saved the shot in the 55th minute that led to East Bengal’s second goal. Once again it was an Ashalata delivery, this time from a corner, that wreaked havoc in the Malabarians’ box. Gokulam’s defense failed to deal with it, and an unmarked Resty Nanziri guided him towards goal with a side-foot shot that went straight to Shreya.

Things went from bad to worse for Shreya, who committed yet another howler to concede her third goal of the match in the 76th minute. Sulanjana Raul, picked out by Sarita Yumnam’s cross from the right, headed the ball straight to Shreya. She tried to catch it, but the ball slipped through her hands and went in.

Shreya redeemed himself to some extent by making a one-on-one save to deny Fazila’s second and East Bengal’s fourth of the afternoon in the 79th minute, but it was only a consolation that prevented Gokulam Kerala’s joint-heaviest defeat of the campaign.

Sethu rose in the second half to beat Garhwal United

There was no slowdown for Sethu FC as the Madurai side powered their way to a 4-1 win against Garhwal United FC.

After a barren first half, a devastating ten-minute spell in the second period turned the match decisively in Sethu’s favour. Dhurga P broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute, Malavika P doubled the lead in the 60th and Lynda Kom Serto struck again in the 62nd for her eighth goal of the campaign. Nirmala Devi Phanjoubam added a stunning fourth in the 74th minute, before Esther Tingjoukim pulled one back for Garhwal United in the 82nd minute.

The result marked Sethu’s fourth straight win and extended its unbeaten run to five matches, leaving it firmly in second place with 16 points from seven matches, just behind leaders East Bengal. Garhwal United, meanwhile, suffered their fourth defeat of the tournament and sit eighth in the standings as the first phase of the competition comes to an end.

Emem hat trick sees Kickstart to victory over Sesa

Kickstart FC recorded only its second win of the 2025-26 IWL season, beating Sesa Football Academy 3-1 on Friday.

Nigerian forward Emem Peace Essien (2′, 61′, 90+3′) scored a hat-trick to seal victory for Kickstart, while Sesa FA captain Aniela Barretto (17′) scored one.

Although both teams remain in the relegation zone, Kickstart are just a point behind Gokulam Kerala in sixth place and have given themselves a good chance of avoiding relegation in Stage 2 of the competition. Sesa, on the other hand, has just one point from seven games and is still looking for its first win at the top level.

Nita battles Sribhumi in a thrilling finish

In what was a nail-biting finish, Nita Football Academy edged Sribhumi Football Club 3-2 as Pyari Xaxa headed home the winner in the final minute of regular time at the Kalyani Stadium in Kalyani on Friday.

An own goal from Sribhumi’s Karishma Shirvoikar gave Nita FA the lead in the 25th minute. But Anju Tamang restored parity in the second minute of stoppage time of the first half. Pyari Xaxa put Nita FA ahead five minutes after the restart, before Karishma leveled the score in the 67th minute. Just as the match seemed headed for a draw, Pyari

Nita FA took their points tally to 13 from seven games, having won four, drawn one and lost two. Sribhumi FC remained at nine games from six, having won three and lost as many.

Published on January 9, 2026