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Aditi Chauhan kept a clean sheet for West Ham Ladies in her second match for the team. After defeating Crystal Palace 3-0 in the FA Women's Premier League Cup, the team will be looking to continue their good form in the league.
While Chauhan debut didn’t go the way she expected, she can take solace in the fact that she kept a clean sheet in her very first home game. It was also a historic day for the club, as they set a new attendance record.
The 22-year-old who kept her first clean sheet after making some crucial saves for the team received help from her centre-backs Danica Revell and Stacey Little. Revell and Little also went on to score a goal each.
The West Ham United goalkeeper is the first Indian-born player to play in England. She has featured for India several times before and was a part of the team that won the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) in 2014.
The player who is from Delhi has represented India in all the youth tournaments recently spoke about the current state of women’s football in India. The Indian ladies team which is currently ranked 56, which is almost a 100 ranks above the current men's team spoke about the lack of support for the sport in India.
Chauhan said: “It is sad that even though Women footballers are ranked better in the world compared to men's team there is still no sign of starting a women's league to give young girls and women footballers something to look forward to.”
Chauhan: No opportunity for Hans available in India
Tanvi Hans is another talented Indian footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspurs while most of her youth football was played in India she was not allowed to represent the country as she had a British Passport.
The goalkeeper spoke about the topic saying, “Talented players like Tanvie Hans had to move to England because she had British Passport and could not represent India and there was no other opportunity available for her in India, certainly not at a decent level which could help her improve as a player and a less developed country like Maldives also realises the potential of women’s football but Indian authorities are still struggling with the idea of a national women’s league which as a player is very frustrating for me.”
Chauhan will hoping to replicate the same form for the team the entire season, and will be looking to win the League with the Irons.
