ANFA Women’s League final round begins amid concerns over poor turf

Kathmandu, Jan. 3: The ANFA Women’s League 2024 resumed on Thursday at ANFA Complex in Satdobato, Lalitpur, with the Top 5 teams of the Preliminary Round competing for the League title in the Final Round. Tribhuvan Army Club made a winning start in the Final Round defeating Bagmati Youth Club by 2-0 when the two teams returned to the worn-out artificial turf at ANFA Complex after over two months.

The preliminary round was played in a single round-robin format between 10 teams in September and October. Defending champions APF, Army, Nepal Police, Waling Municipality, and Koshi Province finished in the top 5. 

Meanwhile, fifth-positioned Koshi, in the first week of December, pulled out of the final round, termed the ‘Super League’ by the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), and paved the way for sixth-positioned Bagmati to get an unprecedented opportunity.

“We got a lucky chance to play in the Super League and Bagmati Municipality, the owner of our team, helped us prepare for it with a short time left. I am happy for the exposure our players will get in the upcoming games,” said Sunil Kumar Shrestha, head coach of Bagmati.

Bagmati opened the Super League against Tribhuvan Army at ANFA Ground but lost. Army’s Bimala Chaudhary scored twice, in the 25th and 71st minutes, while Bagmati failed allowing Anjana Rana Magar to keep a clean sheet. Chaudhary was the player of the match. 

“In the end, I am happy with my players and their performance against Army, a departmental club. Army’s players were also physically stronger. Our target is to finish in the Top 4,” Shrestha said in the post-match conference.

After the end of the league stage, the top two teams will play in Qualifier 1 while the third and fourth-placed teams will compete in an Eliminator. Thus, the loser of Qualifier 1 will get another chance to aim for the final by defeating the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2.

Bagmati and Waling have a slime chance to enter the Top 3 challenging the three strong departmental teams – APF, Army and Police. And regarding the two municipal clubs, Bagmati and Waling, the latter is stronger with the addition of players from Uganda to the squad.

Likewise, Army will also have a hard time in departmental derbies. But Army’s head coach Krishna Singh Thagunna urged to be seen as a favourite for the title.

“We started with a win by an average score. We have stronger opponents waiting but we are ready to challenge them for the title. Yes, we are one of the favourites,” Thagunna said when asked about his aim in the Super League.

Nevertheless, the two coaches stressed that they were worried about their players who would be playing on the worn-out turf at the ANFA Complex.

“While the ground was not in a good condition when we played in the League two months ago, it has deteriorated further. Players are having a difficult time balancing and it has increased the risk of injuries without anyone fouling the other,” Shrestha told The Rising Nepal.

Shrestha added, “If my players play aggressively, there is a risk of getting slipped. But if they play holding back, they can concede a goal and lose every game.”

Similarly, Army’s head coach Thagunna said that he was praying that none of his players get injured because of the turf.

“It is not only about the turf, I have concerns over its overall foundation because the lower layer of the artificial turf, which is of concrete, seems to be in imbalance as well,” Thagunna told The Rising Nepal.

Meanwhile, Bagmati’s skipper Divya Yasmali Magar had to be rushed in an ambulance after an injury in her right leg. Magar sustained the injury in the 79th minute when she attempted to steal the ball off her counterpart and Army’s skipper Punam Jargha Magar.

“I have not got the chance to get updated on Divya’s injury. I hope she can return in the next game as she is one of our major assets,” said Shrestha.

Of the 20 games in the league stage of the final round, the second game will see Nepal Police Club and Waling Municipality playing on the same ground. 

Furthermore, the ANFA Complex Ground has been busy with games for the past five months. Plus, it will host three games a day from Sunday when the ANFA U-16 Youth League, which was inaugurated on December 27 with two games, resumes. Two U-16 games will be followed by an ANFA Women’s Super League match, a step that will further damage the ANFA Complex’s artificial turf prepared in 2014.