KATHMANDU, Sept 6: The sixth edition of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) women's championship is all set to kick off today. 

The regional tournament will start with host Nepal facing Bhutan in the inaugural match that will be played under floodlights at the Dasharath Stadium in Tripureshwor. 

Seven countries including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives, Bhutan and host Nepal are competing in the tournament. The seven countries have been divided into two groups. Group A consists of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Maldives while Group B constitutes Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.

In the five participations so far, Nepal has been limited to runner-up four times. Once it was limited to the semi-finals. Apart from India, no other country has won the championship title so far. Nepal was defeated by India four times in the final, including the last one held in Biratnagar. 

Meanwhile, Head coach of the Nepali national women's football team Kumar Thapa said that Nepal's goal is to win the SAFF title for the first time, without looking back at the past results. 

Nepal will play against Sri Lanka in the second match of the group stage. This match will be held on September 12. The top two teams from the two groups will advance to the semi-finals.

The Nepali team is led by 26-year-old goalkeeper Angela Tumbapo Subba. Subba replaces regular captain Renuka Nagarkoti, who was injured during the preparations for the tournament.

She said that the goal of the team is to win the SAFF Championship title before the home crowd and pledged to fulfill the responsibility and trust she has received as the captain.

(RSS)

 
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