East Bengal FC (women)

East Bengal Football Club, commonly referred to as East Bengal (Bengali pronunciation: [ˈi:st ˌbenˈɡɔːl]), is a women's football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is the women's football section of East Bengal FC. They compete in the Indian Women's League, the women's premier football league in India. They are also the reigning Kanyashree Cup champions, the top-flight tournament of women's football in the state of West Bengal under the Indian Football Association.

History

Formation and early beginnings in CWFL

The East Bengal women's football team was formed in 2001 and in their inaugural season of the Calcutta Women's Football League, they lifted the title defeating arch-rivals Mohun Bagan 1–0 in the final at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium with Shanta Dhara scoring the solitary goal for the club. The following season, East Bengal women's team reached the final again but lost in the final against Mohun Bagan after the game ended 1–1 in the regulation time and Mohun Bagan won 3–2 in the penalty shootout at the Sailen Manna Stadium in Howrah. The team was however disbanded after the season.

Relaunch in 2019 and another halt

In their centenary year, the East Bengal club again decided to relaunch the women's team and participate in the Calcutta Women's Football League. They had appointed former India International Kuntala Ghosh Dastidar as the head coach of the team. In October, initial trials were conducted by the club under Kuntala Ghosh Dastidar, with over 150 women participating. On 27 December, IFA registration of 21 players was done for the Women's League that commenced in January 2020. The East Bengal Women's team started off their campaign in the 2020 Kanyashree Cup in style as they defeated Dipti Sangha by 6–1.

On 13 February the East Bengal Women's team made history as they faced Biddyut Sporting. They led 18–0 within 30 minutes of the game when the opposing team forfeited the game and the referee awarded it to East Bengal. On 6 March, the East Bengal Women's team surpassed their own record once again as they scored 20 goals against Bhangore SWF. East Bengal's forward Tulsi Hembram scored 8 goals and Mamata Hansda 4. The team qualified for the Super Six competition without losing a single game, and qualified for the Semi-Final where they faced Police AC. East Bengal won the semi-final 5–4 in the penalty shootout after the game had ended 1–1 in regulation time. However, the game was replayed due to issues with player registration and East Bengal team once again won the replayed match 5–4 in the penalties after the game ended goalless to reach the final. In the final, they met the two-times defending champions SSB Women's FC. On 30 December 2020, East Bengal faced SSB Women's at the Salt Lake Stadium in the final of the Kanyashree Cup and finished runners up with a 2–0 loss, with a goal conceded in each half.

However, due to a tussle between the club officials and the investor group Shree Cement, in 2021, the women's football team and all the players were released by the management. It was informed that they would not be fielding a team for the 2021–22 Kanyashree Cup.

A comeback with Kanyashree Cup Championship and IWL Qualification

In 2022, the East Bengal women's football team was re-formed after Emami group came on board as the new investors of the club. They began the season by participating in the Kaliaganj MLA Cup held at Uttar Dinajpur and won the four-team tournament by defeating MLA Kaliaganj 1–0 in the final. On 18 December, they announced the squad for the 2022–23 Kanyashree Cup. East Bengal started their campaign with a 2–0 win against WB Police on 20 December at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, with Sulanjana Raul and Kabita Saren scoring for the team. On 10 January 2023, in their fourth match of the season, East Bengal defeated Behala Aikya Sammilani by 35–0, creating a record as the biggest win by an Indian team in any women's football game conducted by AIFF. Mousumi Murmu and Kabita Saren scored six goals each, Deblina Bhattacharjee and Gita Das scored five each, Sushmita Bardhan scored four, Aishwarya Arun Jagtap scored thrice, Sulanjana Raul and Tanushree Oraon scored a brace while Birsi Oraon and Piyali Kora scored one each. On 19 January, East Bengal defeated Adivasi United Students Club 3–0 in the last match of the group stages to enter the knockouts as they finished top of their group with seven wins out of seven, including two walkovers given by Dipti Sangha and Kolkata Union Sporting Club, having scored fifty-eight goals in the five matches without conceding a single goal. On 23 January, East Bengal faced New Alipore Suruchi Sangha in the quarter-finals and won 2–1 with goals from Mousumi Murmu and Sulanjana Raul. On 25 January, East Bengal defeated Mohammedan Sporting 3–0 in the semi-finals at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan. Rimpa Halder scored a brace while Nimita Gurung of Mohammedan scored an own goal as East Bengal reached the final of the 2022–23 Kanyashree Cup. On 28 January, East Bengal faced Sreebhumi in the final of the Kanyashree Cup at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan and won 1–0 courtesy of a solitary goal from 15 year old Sulanjana Raul as East Bengal became the champions for the second time after 2001 and qualified for the Indian Women's League.

Debut in the Indian Women's League and Inaugural Women's IFA Shield Championship

East Bengal women's football team qualified for the Indian Women's League for the first time after becoming the champions of the 2022–23 Kanyashree Cup. They were grouped alongside the defending champions Gokulam Kerala in Group A along with six more teams, with top four from each group qualifying for the knockout stages and be eligible for direct qualification to the next season, irrespective of their results in the state leagues. On 22 April, the club announced the squad for the Indian Women's League campaign with eleven names featuring from the Kanyashree Cup championship team along with some new recruits ahead of the tournament. On 26 April, East Bengal made their debut in the Indian Women's League against defending champions Gokulam Kerala and suffered an 8–2 defeat at the TransStadia in Ahmedabad with Rimpa Haldar and Tulsi Hembram scoring for East Bengal. On 29 April, East Bengal women's team earned their first ever victory in the Indian Women's League as the defeated Kahaani 1–0 at the Shahibaug Police Stadium with captain Ratna Haldar scoring the only goal for East Bengal. On 2 May, East Bengal registered their second win as they defeated Mata Rakmani FC 2–0 with goals from Mousumi Murmu and Rimpa Haldar. On 4 May, East Bengal grabbed their third win in succession as they defeated Mumbai Knights 4–2 with Rimpa Haldar scoring twice and Tulsi Hembram and Mousumi Murmu scoring the other for the team. On 12 May, East Bengal defeated HOPS 1–0 in the last match of the group stage courtesy of a solitary strike from captain Ratna Halder as they secured a top four finish and ensured a place in the knockouts in their maiden appearance and also earned an automatic qualification for the 2023–24 Indian Women's League. On 16 May, East Bengal faced former champions Sethu in the quarter-finals of the IWL and were eliminated after the game ended 9–0 for Sethu, thus ending the campaign for East Bengal in their inaugural season in the Indian Women's League.

After the Indian Women's League, East Bengal Women's team participated in the inaugural Women's IFA Shield held at Tehatta, Nadia, West Bengal and emerged victorious defeating Sreebhumi 5–0 in the final on 2 June 2023. East Bengal won all four matches in the tournament, scoring twenty-seven goals in them and conceding none as they lifted the inaugural title. Tulsi Hembram was adjudged the player of the tournament after becoming the top scorer with fifteen goals in four matches.

In the 2023–24 season, East Bengal failed to retain the Kanyashree Cup as they became runner-up to Sreebhumi. In January 2024, East Bengal women's team signed their first ever foreign player as they roped in Bangladesh women's national football team winger Sanjida Akhter to play in the 2023–24 Indian Women's League. East Bengal finished sixth in the 2023–24 Indian Women's League.

After spending two seasons in the IWL, East Bengal team management made efforts to build a strong squad for the 2024–25 season, and roped in India women's national football team players: Sandhiya Ranganathan and Naorem Priyangka Devi.

Stadium

East Bengal Ground

The East Bengal Ground is located in Kolkata, India and is the home ground of the club. The stadium lies on the Maidan (Kolkata) area on the northern side of Fort William and near the Eden Gardens. This stadium is used mostly for matches of Men's team in Calcutta Football League and academy players.

Current squad

As of 9 December 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Current technical staff

As of 8 November 2023

Records and statistics

Club records

Firsts

• First match in Calcutta Women's Football League: East Bengal 7–0 Bidyut Sports, 13 February 2001 (During the 2001 season).
• First match in Indian Women's League: East Bengal 2–8 Gokulam Kerala, 26 April 2023 (During the 2022–23 season).
• First match in Women's IFA Shield: East Bengal 8–0 Nadia DSA, 25 May 2023 (During the 2023 season).
• First goal in Indian Women's League: Rimpa Haldar (against Gokulam Kerala, 26 April 2023).
• First goal in Women's IFA Shield: Tulsi Hembram (against Nadia DSA, 25 May 2023).
• First win in Indian Women's League: East Bengal 1–0 Kahaani, 29 April 2023 (During the 2022–23 season).

Records

• Biggest win: East Bengal 35–0 Behala Aikya Sammilani, 10 January 2023 (During the 2022–23 Kanyashree Cup season).
• Biggest win in Indian Women's League: East Bengal 4–2 Mumbai Knights, 4 May 2023 (During the 2022–23 season).
• Biggest win in Women's IFA Shield: East Bengal 11–0 Chandney, 29 May 2023 (During the 2023 season).
• Longest winning streak in Indian Women's League: 3 matches (During the 2022–23 season).
• Longest winning streak in Kanyashree Cup: 12 matches (During the 2022–23 season to 2023–24 season).
• Most goals in a match: 8 goals, Tulsi Hembram (against Bhangore SWF, 6 March 2020, 2020–21 Kanyashree Cup).
• Most goals in a Women's IFA Shield match: 6 goals, Tulsi Hembram (against Chandney, 29 May 2023, 2023 Women's IFA Shield).
• Most goals in an Indian Women's League match: 2 goals, Rimpa Haldar (against Mumbai Knights, 4 May 2023, 2022–23 Indian Women's League).

League history

All Time Top Scorer

List of all-time top scorers for East Bengal women's team in competitive fixtures.

Player names in bold are part of the current squad.

As of 24 March 2024

Overall record in Indian Women's League

As of 24 March 2024

Top scorers in Indian Women's League

List of top scorers for East Bengal in the Indian Women's League.

Player names in bold are part of the current squad.

As of 24 March 2024

Overall record in Kanyashree Cup

As of till the end of 2023–24 season.

Top scorers in Kanyashree Cup

List of top scorers for East Bengal in the Kanyashree Cup

Player names in bold are part of the current squad.

As of till the end of 2023–24 season.

Club captains

List of East Bengal Women's Football Team captains since its establishment in 2001.

Coach history

List of East Bengal Women's Football Team head coaches.

Honours

Domestic

• Calcutta Women's Football League (Kanyashree Cup)
  • Champions (2): 2001, 2022–23
  • Runners-up (3): 2002, 2019–20, 2023–24
• Women's IFA Shield
  • Champions (1): 2023
• Kaliaganj MLA Cup
  • Champions (1): 2022
• Baranagar MLA Cup
  • Champions (1): 2023

List of Foreign Players at East Bengal Women's Team

Key

• A player name in bold signifies they have been capped by the national team.

As of 15 January 2024

Each player is mentioned only once, if some of them have rejoined the club later again in different seasons, those entries are excluded from the list.

Notes

References

External links

• Official website