KATHMANDU: APF Football Club and India’s East Bengal are set for the final of the SAFF Women’s Club Championship being held in Kathmandu.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Friday, captains and coaches of both teams said they are fully prepared for the title clash. The final will be played at Dasharath Stadium on Saturday, starting at 5 pm.
APF captain Anita Basnet said her side is ready for the final and eager to make history. “We are fully prepared for the final. All our preparations are complete and we are ready to face East Bengal,” she said. “We are representing not just the club but the country, and we are excited to compete for the title for the first time.”
APF head coach Jivesh Pandey said the team has worked on correcting weaknesses ahead of the decisive match. “We have addressed our shortcomings and worked accordingly in training,” he said. “East Bengal are a very strong team. We will try to play well and win the title.”
East Bengal’s coach also acknowledged APF as a strong opponent and said his side would avoid the mistakes made in previous matches. “It is a nothing-to-lose game for both teams. We will give our best from our side,” he said.
The East Bengal captain said the final would be highly competitive and noted that home support could work in APF’s favor. She added that her team would play without pressure.
Both APF and East Bengal remain unbeaten in the tournament so far and have not conceded a single goal on their way to the final.
East Bengal won three of their four league-stage matches and drew one, while APF recorded two wins and two draws. The two sides had also met in their final league match, which ended in a goalless draw.
East Bengal appears strong heading into the final, although APF will enjoy the advantage of home ground and crowd support.
In the league stage, East Bengal opened their campaign with a 4-0 win over Transport United Ladies FC, followed by victories over Karachi City FC (2-0) and Nasrin Sports Academy (7-0).
APF, meanwhile, began with an emphatic 4-0 win against Nasrin Sports Academy, drew goalless with Transport United Ladies, and edged Karachi City FC 1-0 in their third match.
While both teams have reached the final unbeaten, East Bengal have scored 13 goals so far, compared to APF’s five, setting the stage for an intriguing final showdown.
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