Heavyweights face off in semi- finals
The 23rd senior women’s national football championship 2017- 18 has reached its business end with Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Railways and Manipur set to battle it out in the semi- finals at Cuttack on Monday.
The 1st semi- final sees Tamil Nadu square off against twotime winners West Bengal.
The finalists from the last two editions are in the second semifinal with 18- time champions Manipur up against the Railways.
Manipur won the tournament last year.
Tamil Nadu will look to enter in what would be their maiden final while Bengal will aim to reach their 16th final.
Tamil Nadu topped their group and defeated hosts Odisha in the quarters.
The team have exceeded expectations and are raring to go further.
“We are keen to make our maiden final. The girls are excited to prove themselves tomorrow,” Tamil Nadu head coach M. Muruhuvedan said on Sunday.
West Bengal have been impenetrable in the tournament so far with teams like Punjab, Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh falling by the wayside.
They haven’t conceded a single goal and it will be a challenge for Tamil Nadu to breach their defence.
“The girls have been focused throughout and we want to continue doing that. Our goal is simple. Win,” WB head coach Pratima Biswas said.
Defending champions Manipur have been on a rampage, scoring 35 goals to reach the last four stage. Boasting of several India internationals in their ranks, the team are confident of a win.
Head coach Surmala Chanu showed complete faith in her team when she said, “Winning is a habit. If you don’t play like champions, you cannot be champions and that’s how we are going to take the field.”
Railways beat Manipur in the final two years ago.
They topped their group and then overcame Delhi in the quarter- finals.
“Our team has come here with one objective, and that is to be the champions. And for that we need to reach the final,” Railways head coach Kuntala Ghosh Dastidar said.