At the end of 90 plus four extra minutes, BFF Academy FC girls wished for a more time while Sunrise Women’s FC celebrated 1-1 draw to remain on the top of UTH Women’s Super league in Changlingmithang yesterday.

BFF Academy FC girls fell in the pitch wearing disappointed looks. The team recorded a draw against the league leaders Sunrise Women’s FC that edged defending champions with a lone goal from Nimita Gurung last week.

The two were separated by a two-point difference when they took on each other yesterday with 18 and 16 points respectively. A win for BFF Academy FC would have placed them on the top of the table.

However, Nimita Gurung, one of the foreign players from West Bengal, India scored an opener in the sixth minute to put Sunrise Women’s FC a goal ahead of BFF Academy FC. Shen was assisted by her teammate Nim Riki Sherpa in the attacking front and by Lhako Phuti Bhutia in the backline.

The 24-year-old Lhako Phuti Bhutia from Sikkim joined the squad last week after attending national Indian senior women’s football camp for Asian games in Bengaluru. The player has about eight international appearances with the senior squad so far.

“It was a disappointing result for us. We expected win the match. However, the match was interesting and we hope to keep the same form,” said Sonam Choden of BFF Academy FC.

BFF Academy FC were one goal down for only two minutes. Tshering Yangdon scored a penalty kick in the eighth minute to level the score.

BFF Academy FC won maximum chances in the game and continued to pressure the Sunrise Women’s FC in the second half. However, the Sunrise Women’s FC’s backline stood strong.

With one goal each, the two settled for a draw.

Sunrise Women’s FC continued to lead the league with 19 points followed by BFF Academy FC with 17 points.

The game saw players fall down frequently with cramps and clashes that kept the team physios busy running on and off the pitch to provide the first aid assistance.

The match also saw the Sunrise Women’s FC coach Ngawang sent off from the official bench towards the later part of the game owing to his persistent disturbance to the match officials.

The coach recently  lifted Pepsi Thimphu league 2018 with Transport United FC. And he now with Sunrise Women’s FC, managing his first lady football team in the ongoing league.

The league is currently led by first-timer Sunrise Women’s FC. The club is the only one with foreign players in the league. It has four.

The players are paid about Nu 10,000 per match according to the club officials.

Placed in the third place is U-16 Gelephu FC with 13 points in six games. The team has four wins, one draw against BFF Academy FC, and a loss to Sunrise Women’s FC.

The league plays eight lady clubs: Sunrise Women’s FC, BFF Academy FC, U-16 Gelephu FC, Thimphu City Ladies, Mandala FC, Thimphu FC, Druk United FC, and Tensung Bum FC.

Nima

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