IWL 2025-26: East Bengal makes short work of Kickstart FC

East Bengal FC recorded five wins in as many matches as they edged past Kickstart FC 5-0 at the Kalyani Stadium in Kalyani on Tuesday.

Fazila Ikwaput (15′, 73′) scored two, while Resty Nanziri (45+2′), Sulanjana Raul (60′) and Astam Oraon (62′) scored one each for the Moshal Girls, who now top the table with 15 points from five matches. Kickstart remains seventh in the drop zone with three points from six games.

From the start, there was no doubt as to who would take the lead and East Bengal looked for an early lead, which they eventually got after 15 minutes. Fazila was played between the Kickstart lines by Sulanjana and she managed to gracefully poke the ball past the keeper, the ball caressing the upright before going in.

The Moshal Girls doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time when Shilky Devi played Hemam Fazila through on the right. The latter gave the right to Resty, who faked her marker before putting it in the net.

It was much the same when both teams took to the field again for the second half. Only East Bengal looked hungrier and a bit more clinical.

Fazila, looking to add to her tally, produced a shot from outside the penalty area that hit the crossbar and landed kindly for Sulanjana to head in on the hour mark.

Astam made it three a few minutes later, with an accurate cross from Shilky. Fazila added the fifth in the 73rd when she latched onto a through ball from Resty before finishing it at the near post.

Sethu writes comeback against Nita FA

Lynda Kom Serto produced a decisive second-half performance to help Sethu FC come from behind to secure a hard-fought 2-1 win over Nita FA at the National Center of Excellence in Kolkata on Tuesday.

Lynda Kom scored both of her goals (72′, 81′) in the second half, after the competition’s top scorer, Pyari Xaxa (7′), put Nita ahead in the first half.

It was Sethu’s third win in a row, extending the unbeaten streak to four matches. It also took the Madurai side to second place in the standings with 13 points from six matches.

Nita FA, meanwhile, suffered a second defeat in a row and dropped to third place with 10 points from the same number of games.

Published on January 6, 2026