SAFF Women's Championship: India lose to hosts Nepal in semi-final

This is the first time the Indian football team has been knocked out in the semifinals stage of the tournament. Rashmi Kumari Ghishing scored the only goal of the game as the hosts eked out a win on a mud-soaked pitch. The home side started off on the front foot, using the left flank on a number of attacks in the opening exchanges. However, Indian defenders Sweety Devi and Manisa Panna remained alert to the danger and thwarted the hosts' attacks. Renu had India's first real chance of the match in the 12th minute, when she darted into the opposition box, but Nepal's captain and goalkeeper Anjila Subba came off her line to clear it away.

As the match approached the half hour mark, Sandhiya Ranganathan became more active down the right wing. She orchestrated an attack on the 22nd, passing it to Ratanbala Devi, who squared it to Priyangka Devi, who eventually got dispossessed inside the box. Later, Sandhiya again sent in a cross for Renu, who tried to curl it into the far post, but her effort was saved. That proved to be the last meaningful contribution by Renu, as India head coach Suren Chettri soon took her off, bringing Soumya Guguloth onto the pitch with minutes left for the half time whistle. However, it was Nepal who took the lead in injury time of the first half, when Preeti Rai sent a cross at Rashmi Ghishing's feet, and the latter turned and fired it into the bottom corner. A goal up, Nepal came out with much gusto in the second half, as Anita Basnet and Rashmi Ghishing began orchestrating attacks for the home side, prompting Suren Chettri to make an attacking change, bringing on striker Apurna Narzary in place of midfielder Priyangka Devi. Apurna soon got into the thick of things as she looked to thread passes