East Bengal Women Football Team Practice at Kalyani. Pictures by Bibhash Lodh/BS News Agency.
Sanchita Chatterjee, BS News Agency, Kalyani, 26 December 2025: Defending champions East Bengal FC Women continue their title defence in the Indian Women's League (IWL) 2025-26 with a crucial encounter against league debutants Garhwal United FC. The match will kick off tomorrow at 2.30 PM at the Kalyani Stadium.
Just four days after winning the inaugural SAFF Women's Club Championship in Kathmandu, EBFC Women commenced their IWL campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Sethu FC Madurai at the Kalyani Stadium. Soumya Guguloth's 77th minute-strike secured all three points for the Kolkata-based club, marking a solid start for Anthony Andrews' 'Moshal Girls'.
Pictures by Bibhash Lodh/BS News Agency.
Garhwal United FC, meanwhile, have made a remarkable entry into top-flight women's football in India. After winning last season's IWL 2, they gained promotion into the IWL, carrying that form seamlessly.
Garhwal began their campaign with a 3-1 win over SESA FA, with goals from Kim Kipgen, Sanfida and Deepika Pal, and followed it up with a 1-0 win over Kickstart FC, courtesy Kipgen's late goal. Currently topping the early standings with maximum points from two games, Garhwal's attacking prowess and solid defensive organisation make them a genuine threat.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides in women's football.
*Speaking at the pre-match press conference, EBFC Women's Head Coach Anthony Andrews said*, "Playing against Sethu taught us a lot of lessons. We had a tough time breaking down their defensive set-up and kudos to Soumya for scoring the winner. The players are obviously tired with fatigue creeping in due to the demanding schedule. I saw Garhwal win the IWL 2 last season and they have a strong pool of young, talented players. They've been playing together for a couple of seasons. When you play against a technically-sound team like them, you need to focus on your own strengths."
*EBFC Women's player Astam Oraon said*, "We expected more fans in our last match, since it was our first match after winning the SAFF WCC. However, we understood that it was a weekday. We expect more support from our fans tomorrow."