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The semi-finals of the Indian Women’s League (IWL) are all set to kick off on Friday, May 19 at the TransStadia in Ahmedabad. Last year’s runners-up Sethu Madurai FC will take on Kickstart FC Karnataka while reigning champions Gokulam Kerala FC will lock horns with Eastern Sporting Union.
Sethu Madurai FC have been a dominant force this season as they finished top of Group B with 17 points to their name. A highly anticipated quarter-final tie against IWL debutants East Bengal awaited, but the side from Tamil Nadu thumped the Torchbearers with a scoreline of 9-0.
Meanwhile, their opponents, Kickstart FC finished second in Group B, one point behind their Sethu. As a result, they were pitted against HOPS FC in the quarter-final. The match was certainly nail-biting, but Kickstart kept probing and were rewarded for their efforts with a stoppage-time winner to book their place in the semi-finals.
It ended in a 0-0 stalemate when these two sides faced each other in the group stages. With the stakes at an all-time high, the game is expected to be a tight affair, but Sethu are certainly favorites going into the tie.
Meanwhile, two-time champions Gokulam Kerala FC will look to go one step further to defend their title. The Malabarians have been outstanding throughout the tournament, finishing atop their group while scoring 53 goals and conceding just five.
Nonetheless, they were forced to dig deep against Odisha FC in the quarter-finals after Ranjana Chanu was sent off in the second half. The tie ended 1-1 with a penalty shootout set to decide the winner. In a tense shootout, Gokulam’s goalkeeper Beatrice Ntiwaa Nketia managed to save all three of Odisha’s spot-kicks to send her side to another semi-final.
Their opponents, Eastern Sporting Union also came from behind to secure a victory. Similar to Gokulam’s game against Odisha FC, nothing could separate ESU and Sports Odisha in regulation time. Their goalkeeper, Panthoi Chanu, who made several important saves during the game, once again came to her team’s rescue as ESU defeated Sports Odisha in the penalty shootout.
With a highly experienced side and momentum behind them, Gokulam Kerala FC remain the clear frontrunners against Eastern Sporting Union for a place in the finals.
When and where to watch the IWL semifinals?
Match 1 – Kickstart FC Karnataka vs Sethu Madurai FC, 5:00 PM IST, Friday, May 19.
Match 2 – Eastern Sporting Union vs Gokulam Kerala FC, 8:30 PM IST, Friday, May 19.
Both IWL games will be streamed on Indian football’s official YouTube channel from 5:00 PM IST. The finals of the IWL will be played on Sunday, 21 May.
