Home team Nepal is taking to the field today to lock horns with Bhutan in their first match of the SAFF Women's Championship after a two-week training.
The match is scheduled to start at Dasharath Stadium at 5:30 pm. While the seventh edition of the championship began on Thursday with India clinching a 5-2 win over Pakistan, Nepal has never won the SAFF Women's Championship in its history.
Out of six editions taken place so far, Nepal reached the final for five times except for in 2016. Nepal was eliminated in the semi-final of the sixth edition. While Nepal reached the finals five times, it lost to India four times and one time to Bangladesh and had to satisfy with the runner-up.
A total of seven teams are participating in the championship this time. Of them Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives are placed in Group 'B' while Indian, Bangladesh and Pakistan are in Group 'A'.
Nepal and Bhutan have met four times in the past. Nepal defeated Bhutan in all those matches. Bhutan had reached the semi-final in the previous edition held in 2022 but lost to Bangladesh 8-0.
Bhutan is hoping to take advantage of Sabitra Bhandari's absence, a key striker for Nepal team, as she is returning to Nepal only on Sunday after playing a club match in France on Saturday.
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