League stage ends, knockout to determine champions

Kathmandu, Jan. 23: The Armed Police Force (APF) Club finished at the top of the ANFA Women’s League as the Final Round between five teams concluded on Wednesday with APF defeating the Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) by a score of 2-1. 

In the final round where the five teams competed in a double round-robin format, the APF won all eight games. The APF had also won eight of the nine games in the League’s first phase in September 2024 where 10 teams participated in a single round-robin format; APF played a goalless draw with Nepal Police Club (NPC) on September 3, 2024.

However, despite being at the top of the league’s points table on two separate occasions, the APF needs to emerge victorious in the knockout stage as well to defend their title.

“We have not lost a single time in the 17 games we played in the League since September last year. But we will need to beat the same teams again, and again, to lift the trophy and become ‘League Champions’,” said Jibesh Kumar Pandey, head coach of APF.

The ANFA had decided to organise the ANFA Women’s League 2024/25 in a longer format for which they divided it into two phases. The first phase saw 10 teams playing for the Top 5 spot and the top five teams then progressed to the Final Round. Now, the Top 4 teams from the Final Round will compete in a knockout format under the Page–McIntyre system/Page playoff system.

The Page playoff system is the format followed by the Indian Premier League. As per the system, the top two teams from the league stage get a second chance to reach the final if they lose their first playoff match.

Thus, as the Top 2 teams in the Final Round, APF will be facing Army in Qualifier 1; Police and Bagmati will then play in the Eliminator as the third and fourth-placed teams. However, the loser of the APF vs Army fixture will get an extra chance for the final by facing the winner of Police vs Bagmati in Qualifier 2.

As per the fixtures, Eliminator will take place on January 24, Qualifier 1 on January 25, Qualifier 2 on January 27 and the final on January 29. All the games are scheduled to be played at Dasharath Rangasala.

“We are not sure if the women’s league is under the priority or not. The hectic schedule, unnecessary gap, knockout format in a league and the lack of basic equipment such as a game clock raise concern,” said Pandey. 

APF’s head coach Pandey informed that his team had not received the winning prizes such as medals, certificates and cash under several topics from the previous edition itself.

However, for other teams than the APF, the knockout stage is like a boon as they still have a chance for the title. “We played well today and we see a chance against APF in Qualifier 1,” said Krishna Singh Thagunna, head coach of TAC.

Nevertheless, Thagunna raised concern over the unmanaged football games as the ANFA Women’s League knock-out stage has been affected by the Sabhapati Cup, a football tournament between men’s teams, that starts on January 23.

Sabhapati Cup fixtures show games at 3 pm on January 23, 24, 25 and 26, semi-finals on January 27 and 28, and final on January 30. 

“We were first asked to come at 10 am as the Women’s League knockout games were rescheduled due to the Sabhapati Cup. We denied the request because it was impractical. When will our players eat? We need to arrive 90 minutes before kick-off,” said Pandey, who was unaware of the time for the upcoming game at the time of the post-match.

“It feels like being neglected when such things happen. The Women’s League is not a joke, it is a major tournament. We should not have altercations midway,” said Thagunna, who added, “I have just been told that our games will take place at 2:45 pm.”

ANFA’s League director Sanjib Mishra informed that the Women’s League games will take place at 2:45 pm. Nevertheless, with the Sabhapati Cup organisers not revealing any changes to their schedule of 3 pm, concerns remain.