AIFF Media Team

NARAINPUR, CHHATTISGARH: Nita Football Academy and HOPS FC will meet in the final of the inaugural AIFF U17 Women’s Youth League after both sides won their semi-finals at the RKM Football Academy in Narainpur, Chhattisgarh on Monday, July 27.

In the rain-lashed morning fixture, Nita FA claimed the first ticket to the final with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Zinc FA, before HOPS FC matched that scoreline with a dominant show against Garhwal United FC in the second semi-final.

The final will take place on Wednesday, July 29, at 15:00, and will be streamed live on the Indian Football YouTube Channel.

Zinc Football Academy 0
lost to
Nita Football Academy 2 (Niruta Baraghare 50’, Aisha Sidika 78’)

Nita Football Academy overcame adverse rainy conditions and a stubborn Zinc Football Academy defence to earn a 2-0 victory.

Both teams had scored 18 goals each in their four games preceding the semi-final and were known for their attacking ways, but the first half was a surprisingly tight and defensive affair. However, the second half belonged entirely to Nita, who were ultimately able to breach the Rajasthan side's backline.

The Odisha outfit broke the deadlock in the 50th minute. The spark came from Deepika Kumari tearing down the left flank to whip a right-footed cross into the box. Zinc defender Khushbu Kumari's attempted clearance fell for Niruta Baraghare, who was already in motion and alert to the opportunity. She hammered a right-footed drive. Zinc goalkeeper Sonam Ghosh dived low and got a hand to the shot, but the sheer force carried the ball over the line.

Despite a waterlogged pitch making ball control increasingly difficult, Nita doubled their lead in the 78th minute and sealed the game. From near the centre-line, midfielder Maanya Gurumayum sliced a brilliant through-ball between two Zinc defenders to pick out Aisha Sidika. Taking it in stride, Aisha hit a soaring right-footed strike that sailed over the outstretched arms of the leaping Sonam and found the far corner.

That was the end of Zinc FA's fight. They had battled relentlessly in the opening half, testing Nita’s backline and forcing keeper Alisha Majhi to make crucial saves.

But Nita's Deepika and Aisha had remained a constant threat down the left and right, respectively, and ultimately proved to be the key to their side's passage to the first-ever final of the AIFF U17 Women's Youth League.

Garhwal United FC 0
lost to
HOPS FC 2 (Revika 10’, Japleen Kaur 76’ og)

HOPS FC became the second finalists following a solid 2-0 victory over Garhwal United FC in the afternoon's semi-final. Revika's early free-kick goal set the tone before a second-half own goal doubled their lead and sealed the win for them.

The contest between the two Delhi clubs kicked off at an intense pace, but it was HOPS who seized control as early as the 10th minute. After Garhwal United's Bharti brought down Reema Kumari around 25 yards from the goal, Revika capitalised by driving a magnificent right-footed free-kick past the wall and the goalkeeper Yashika's reach as well.

Carrying the lead, HOPS maintained their attacking dominance and repeatedly tested Garhwal’s backline. The latter, on the other hand, pressed hard through Usha Kumari and Neetika Negi in the first half, but the HOPS goalkeeper Sonam denied any chances for the equaliser.

HOPS stormed back onto the pitch with ruthless intent in the second half, pinning Garhwal deep at the back. Captain Kanika’s surges down the left kept the opposition stretched, and the sustained pressure paid off in the 76th minute through another dead-ball delivery. Divya delivered a curling corner from the right, where Mansi Sonkar got a touch on it before the bouncing ball took a fateful deflection off Garhwal’s Japleen Kaur and ricocheted into the net for an own goal to make it 2-0.

Refusing to give an inch, HOPS comfortably absorbed late pressure through added time, closing out a clean-sheet victory to punch their ticket to the finale.