East Bengal FC signed off the first phase of the Indian Women’s League (IWL) 2025–26 in emphatic fashion, maintaining a flawless record and strengthening their bid for a historic title defence. The reigning champions brushed aside former winners Gokulam Kerala FC with a commanding 3–0 victory at the Kalyani Stadium on Friday, finishing Phase 1 with six wins from six matches and a perfect 18-point haul.
In what was billed as a clash between last season’s top two, East Bengal once again proved their dominance. Fazila Ikwaput opened the scoring in the 35th minute before second-half strikes from Resty Nanziri (55’) and Sulanjana Raul (76’) sealed another assured win for Anthony Andrews’ side. With this result, the Moshal Girls moved a step closer to becoming only the second team in IWL history to retain the title, a feat previously achieved only by Gokulam Kerala.
While East Bengal soars, the same cannot be said for their rivals. Gokulam Kerala find themselves embroiled in an unexpected relegation battle, sitting sixth with seven points from seven games, just one point above the drop zone after managing only one win in Phase 1.
Sethu FC remain hot on East Bengal’s heels after a dominant 4-1 win over Garhwal United FC at the National Centre of Excellence in Kolkata. After a goalless first half, the Madurai-based side exploded into action with goals from Dhurga P (52’), Malavika P (60’), and Lynda Kom Serto (62’), who netted her eighth goal of the season. Nirmala Devi Phanjoubam added a spectacular fourth in the 74th minute before Esther Tingjoukim scored a late consolation for Garhwal.
The victory marked Sethu’s fourth consecutive win and extended their unbeaten run to five matches, placing them second on the table with 16 points from seven games, two behind East Bengal, who also have a game in hand.
Kickstart FC earned a vital 3–1 win over Sesa Football Academy thanks to a sensational hat-trick from Nigerian forward Emem Peace Essien. Striking early in the second minute, Essien added two more goals in the 61st minute and stoppage time to secure only Kickstart’s second victory of the campaign. Despite remaining in the relegation zone, Kickstart have closed the gap to Gokulam Kerala and head into Phase 2 with renewed belief.
In one of the most thrilling encounters of the phase, Nita Football Academy edged past Sribhumi FC 3–2 in a dramatic finish. An own goal by Karishma Shirvoikar gave Nita FA the lead before Anju Tamang equalised just before halftime. Pyari Xaxa struck early in the second half, but Sribhumi responded through Karishma to make it 2–2.
With the match seemingly heading for a draw, Xaxa rose highest in the dying moments to head home her 10th goal of the tournament, sealing a memorable win for Nita FA. The result lifted them to 13 points from seven matches, while Sribhumi remained on nine points with a game in hand.
