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Deadspin | In last home match till August, Whitecaps meet improved Rapids  Apr 4, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN;  Vancouver Whitecaps FC defender Edier Ocampo (18) celebrates scoring with forward Brian White (24) during the first half against the Portland Timbers at BC Place. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images   The Vancouver Whitecaps play their last home match until August on Saturday night when they host the Colorado Rapids.  The Whitecaps (7-1-0, 21 points), who are second in the Western Conference and the league overall behind only San Jose (24 points), will play their next eight matches in a row on the road as their home pitch, BC Place, undergoes preparations to host seven FIFA World Cup matches. Vancouver’s next home MLS match won’t be until Aug. 1 against Los Angeles FC.  The Whitecaps have made the most of their unbalanced schedule, which has seen them play seven of their first eight matches at home. Vancouver has gone 6-1-0 at home, losing only 1-0 to San Jose back on March 21, and brings in a three-game win streak, outscoring its opponents 8-2 during that span.  Vancouver enters the weekend tied with the Earthquakes, who have played one more match, for the league lead in goals scored (22) and goal differential (plus-18). Forward Brian White (six goals), former Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller (four goals) and U.S. national Sebastian Berhalter (three goals) lead the team in scoring.  Colorado (4-4-1, 13 points) has been one of the league’s most improved teams. The Rapids are in seventh place and have gone 1-1-1 in their last three matches.   After blowing out Houston 6-2 and losing a tightly contested match with defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami 3-2, before 75,824 at Empower Field at Mile High, the Rapids pulled out a 0-0 draw at Los Angeles FC on Wednesday.  “They’ve been looking very, very good, and have grown from game to game,” Vancouver coach Jesper Sorensen said. “They changed up a lot of stuff since last season. I think looking to head in a good direction. Obviously, we’d like to make them look a little worse than they did (at LAFC), but that’s up to us.”  Lionel Messi scored twice to lead Inter Miami past the Rapids but Colorado finished with 61.9% possession and a 14-5 edge in shot attempts. The Rapids also dominated possession in the draw with LAFC, finishing with a huge 72.5% to 27.5% advantage.  “Another very high-level, technical performance by us,” Rapids coach Matt Wells said of the draw. “I thought we played with personality, played with courage, just like we did against Miami. … We’re showing we’re definitely a different team than we’ve been in the past.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #home #match #August #Whitecaps #meet #improved #Rapids

Deadspin | In last home match till August, Whitecaps meet improved Rapids
Deadspin | In last home match till August, Whitecaps meet improved Rapids  Apr 4, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN;  Vancouver Whitecaps FC defender Edier Ocampo (18) celebrates scoring with forward Brian White (24) during the first half against the Portland Timbers at BC Place. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images   The Vancouver Whitecaps play their last home match until August on Saturday night when they host the Colorado Rapids.  The Whitecaps (7-1-0, 21 points), who are second in the Western Conference and the league overall behind only San Jose (24 points), will play their next eight matches in a row on the road as their home pitch, BC Place, undergoes preparations to host seven FIFA World Cup matches. Vancouver’s next home MLS match won’t be until Aug. 1 against Los Angeles FC.  The Whitecaps have made the most of their unbalanced schedule, which has seen them play seven of their first eight matches at home. Vancouver has gone 6-1-0 at home, losing only 1-0 to San Jose back on March 21, and brings in a three-game win streak, outscoring its opponents 8-2 during that span.  Vancouver enters the weekend tied with the Earthquakes, who have played one more match, for the league lead in goals scored (22) and goal differential (plus-18). Forward Brian White (six goals), former Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller (four goals) and U.S. national Sebastian Berhalter (three goals) lead the team in scoring.  Colorado (4-4-1, 13 points) has been one of the league’s most improved teams. The Rapids are in seventh place and have gone 1-1-1 in their last three matches.   After blowing out Houston 6-2 and losing a tightly contested match with defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami 3-2, before 75,824 at Empower Field at Mile High, the Rapids pulled out a 0-0 draw at Los Angeles FC on Wednesday.  “They’ve been looking very, very good, and have grown from game to game,” Vancouver coach Jesper Sorensen said. “They changed up a lot of stuff since last season. I think looking to head in a good direction. Obviously, we’d like to make them look a little worse than they did (at LAFC), but that’s up to us.”  Lionel Messi scored twice to lead Inter Miami past the Rapids but Colorado finished with 61.9% possession and a 14-5 edge in shot attempts. The Rapids also dominated possession in the draw with LAFC, finishing with a huge 72.5% to 27.5% advantage.  “Another very high-level, technical performance by us,” Rapids coach Matt Wells said of the draw. “I thought we played with personality, played with courage, just like we did against Miami. … We’re showing we’re definitely a different team than we’ve been in the past.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #home #match #August #Whitecaps #meet #improved #RapidsApr 4, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Whitecaps FC defender Edier Ocampo (18) celebrates scoring with forward Brian White (24) during the first half against the Portland Timbers at BC Place. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images

The Vancouver Whitecaps play their last home match until August on Saturday night when they host the Colorado Rapids.

The Whitecaps (7-1-0, 21 points), who are second in the Western Conference and the league overall behind only San Jose (24 points), will play their next eight matches in a row on the road as their home pitch, BC Place, undergoes preparations to host seven FIFA World Cup matches. Vancouver’s next home MLS match won’t be until Aug. 1 against Los Angeles FC.

The Whitecaps have made the most of their unbalanced schedule, which has seen them play seven of their first eight matches at home. Vancouver has gone 6-1-0 at home, losing only 1-0 to San Jose back on March 21, and brings in a three-game win streak, outscoring its opponents 8-2 during that span.

Vancouver enters the weekend tied with the Earthquakes, who have played one more match, for the league lead in goals scored (22) and goal differential (plus-18). Forward Brian White (six goals), former Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller (four goals) and U.S. national Sebastian Berhalter (three goals) lead the team in scoring.


Colorado (4-4-1, 13 points) has been one of the league’s most improved teams. The Rapids are in seventh place and have gone 1-1-1 in their last three matches.

After blowing out Houston 6-2 and losing a tightly contested match with defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami 3-2, before 75,824 at Empower Field at Mile High, the Rapids pulled out a 0-0 draw at Los Angeles FC on Wednesday.

“They’ve been looking very, very good, and have grown from game to game,” Vancouver coach Jesper Sorensen said. “They changed up a lot of stuff since last season. I think looking to head in a good direction. Obviously, we’d like to make them look a little worse than they did (at LAFC), but that’s up to us.”

Lionel Messi scored twice to lead Inter Miami past the Rapids but Colorado finished with 61.9% possession and a 14-5 edge in shot attempts. The Rapids also dominated possession in the draw with LAFC, finishing with a huge 72.5% to 27.5% advantage.

“Another very high-level, technical performance by us,” Rapids coach Matt Wells said of the draw. “I thought we played with personality, played with courage, just like we did against Miami. … We’re showing we’re definitely a different team than we’ve been in the past.”


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #home #match #August #Whitecaps #meet #improved #Rapids

Apr 4, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Whitecaps FC defender Edier Ocampo (18) celebrates scoring with forward Brian White (24) during the first half against the Portland Timbers at BC Place. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images

The Vancouver Whitecaps play their last home match until August on Saturday night when they host the Colorado Rapids.

The Whitecaps (7-1-0, 21 points), who are second in the Western Conference and the league overall behind only San Jose (24 points), will play their next eight matches in a row on the road as their home pitch, BC Place, undergoes preparations to host seven FIFA World Cup matches. Vancouver’s next home MLS match won’t be until Aug. 1 against Los Angeles FC.

The Whitecaps have made the most of their unbalanced schedule, which has seen them play seven of their first eight matches at home. Vancouver has gone 6-1-0 at home, losing only 1-0 to San Jose back on March 21, and brings in a three-game win streak, outscoring its opponents 8-2 during that span.

Vancouver enters the weekend tied with the Earthquakes, who have played one more match, for the league lead in goals scored (22) and goal differential (plus-18). Forward Brian White (six goals), former Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller (four goals) and U.S. national Sebastian Berhalter (three goals) lead the team in scoring.

Colorado (4-4-1, 13 points) has been one of the league’s most improved teams. The Rapids are in seventh place and have gone 1-1-1 in their last three matches.

After blowing out Houston 6-2 and losing a tightly contested match with defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami 3-2, before 75,824 at Empower Field at Mile High, the Rapids pulled out a 0-0 draw at Los Angeles FC on Wednesday.

“They’ve been looking very, very good, and have grown from game to game,” Vancouver coach Jesper Sorensen said. “They changed up a lot of stuff since last season. I think looking to head in a good direction. Obviously, we’d like to make them look a little worse than they did (at LAFC), but that’s up to us.”

Lionel Messi scored twice to lead Inter Miami past the Rapids but Colorado finished with 61.9% possession and a 14-5 edge in shot attempts. The Rapids also dominated possession in the draw with LAFC, finishing with a huge 72.5% to 27.5% advantage.

“Another very high-level, technical performance by us,” Rapids coach Matt Wells said of the draw. “I thought we played with personality, played with courage, just like we did against Miami. … We’re showing we’re definitely a different team than we’ve been in the past.”

–Field Level Media

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Premier League 2025-26: Forest thumps Sunderland 5-0, puts pressure on West Ham and Spurs in relegation battle <div id="content-body-70904359" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Nottingham Forest cranked ‌up the pressure on its relegation rivals by thrashing Sunderland 5-0 in ​the Premier League on Friday, moving eight points clear of the ⁠drop zone.</p><p>Trai Hume’s 17th-minute own goal opened the floodgates, with Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus all finding the net in a six-minute first-half burst at the Stadium of Light. Elliot ‌Anderson capped off the win with a goal in stoppage time.</p><p>The victory gave Vitor Pereira’s 16th-placed Forest — unbeaten in six successive league games — ‌39 points with four games to play. It puts more pressure on 17th-placed West ‌Ham ⁠United (33 points) and 18th-placed Tottenham Hotspur (31 points). Both West Ham and Spurs play this weekend.</p><p>Compounding Sunderland’s misery, Dan Ballard’s second-half goal was chalked off after VAR determined that Nordi Mukiele tripped goalkeeper Matz Sels.</p><p>Forest’s goalkeeper preserved the ​clean sheet with a terrific late ‌save, stretching to tip Enzo Le Fee’s blistering close-range strike over the bar.</p><p>The game was end-to-end in the opening minutes with decent chances for both sides before Forest broke the deadlock when Omari Hutchinson floated a ball from a corner to ‌the far post for Igor Jesus to head towards goal. The ball pinged ​off the head of Hume on the way in for an own goal.</p><p>Wood struck in the 31st minute when Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs ⁠inexplicably passed the ball straight into his path. The ball bounced off the striker and fell to Gibbs-White, who drew Roefs out of his net before passing it back ‌to Wood to slot home.</p><p>Gibbs-White added a goal of his own three minutes later when a ball to the back post found Jesus who headed it down for the midfielder, who unleashed a powerful shot into the bottom corner.</p><p>Jesus had the visiting fans in raptures when he knocked the ball into the far corner three minutes later, the ball glancing off Roef’s outstretched arm on the way in. Sunderland, who conceded four ‌goals in a 4-3 loss to Aston Villa on Sunday, was booed off the pitch at the ​break.</p><p>Forest’s victory comes five days after it scored four second-half goals to beat Burnley 4-1.</p><p>“It’s quite special,” Gibbs-White told <i>Sky Sports</i>. “I didn’t think we ⁠could top the other day, but we go and do it. I think that’s just ⁠credit to the boys, and shows the character in the dressing room and the belief and the confidence that we have right now going into ‌games.”</p><p>Anderson had missed Forest’s Europa League quarterfinal win over Porto earlier this month after the death of his mother Helen.</p><p>“Just really happy to score here and I ​just know that my mum would have been really proud of that one,” he said.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 25, 2026</p></div> #Premier #League #Forest #thumps #Sunderland #puts #pressure #West #Ham #Spurs #relegation #battle

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Lachy Groom to back India startup Pronto at a $200M valuation, sources say | TechCrunch<div> <p id="speakable-summary" class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://www.withpronto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Pronto</a>, an Indian instant house-help startup, is finalizing a funding round led by tech investor Lachy Groom that would value the fast-growing company at about $200 million after investment, TechCrunch has learned.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The deal is expected to bring in about $20 million in fresh capital and would mark a sharp jump from the <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/02/indias-pronto-formalizes-house-help-as-its-valuation-jumps-8x-in-under-a-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$100 million valuation</a> at which the company raised $25 million in a Series B round led by Epiq Capital in early March, doubling its valuation in a matter of weeks, two people familiar with the matter said.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Bengaluru-based Pronto completed about 500,000 orders last month and is currently handling around 24,000–25,000 orders daily, up from about 18,000 daily bookings in March and roughly 1,000 last year.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/15/bain-bets-on-indian-domestic-work-startup-pronto-even-as-rivals-face-criticism/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Founded in 2025</a>, Pronto connects households with on-demand domestic help for services such as cleaning and chores, promising quick turnaround times through a managed network of workers.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In March, Pronto founder Anjali Sardana told TechCrunch the startup had expanded from one city to 10 — including Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai — and from five to more than 150 micromarkets. However, much of its activity remains concentrated in a handful of markets, with the National Capital Region accounting for about half of total bookings.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The startup has over 4,500 active professionals on its platform, around 99% of whom are women, Sardana said last month, adding that demand continued to outpace onboarding of new workers as bookings grew about 20% week over week.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Before this funding, Pronto had raised about $40 million in total. Its investors include Epiq Capital, Glade Brook Capital, General Catalyst and Bain Capital Ventures.</p> <div class="wp-block-techcrunch-inline-cta"> <div class="inline-cta__wrapper"> <p>Techcrunch event</p> <div class="inline-cta__content"> <p> <span class="inline-cta__location">San Francisco, CA</span> <span class="inline-cta__separator">|</span> <span class="inline-cta__date">October 13-15, 2026</span> </p> </div> </div> </div> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Pronto and Groom did not respond to requests for comment.</p> </div>#Lachy #Groom #India #startup #Pronto #200M #valuation #sources #TechCrunchpronto,Lachy Groom

Alex Sarama was relatively unknown when the Portland Fire announced he’d be their first-ever head coach. But, on Wednesday, when the WNBA announced that Sarama was named Coach of the Month, it came as no surprise. Sarama led the Fire to a 6-4 record in May and several improbable victories, while making a name for himself in broad basketball circles.

At just 30 years old, Sarama was an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers and became the director of player development.

He joined NBA Europe in 2020, became a Paris Basketball player improvement specialist in 2022, and was the director of methodology for the British Basketball League’s London Lions in 2023. In the 2023-2024 season, Sarama was an assistant coach for the Rip City Remix, the Portland Trail Blazers’ G League affiliate. Then, in 2024, he became an assistant for the Cavaliers.

Sarama is unique in that he is an advocate of the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) to skill acquisition and practice design, a methodology that emphasises decision-making, adaptability, and game-representative learning environments rather than isolated and repetitive drills.

Sarama has cancelled morning shootarounds, had Fire players practice with just socks, and simulated specific drills with different constraints to emulate late-game scenarios.

The Fire are 6-5 and owners of the league’s 8th-best record, despite being one of two WNBA expansion teams. In May, they went 6-4, accruing two wins over the New York Liberty and a win over the Indiana Fever, among other star-studded squads.

On the court, Portland has been led by Carla Leite, who is averaging 15.2 points and 5.2 assists per game, both team-highs.

Bridget Carleton, selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA’s expansion draft, is averaging 14.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game, while Emily Englster has been the top shot blocker in the league, averaging 2.3 blocks per game. Engstler is also averaging 9.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 assists per game. And, Sarah Ashlee Barker has been huge off the bench, averaging 10 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

In a video shared by the Fire, Sarama credited the players and his staff for his first-ever Coach of the Month honor.

“This isn’t possible without incredible players. This is really because of you guys, number one,” he said. “Everything we’ve asked you to do, you guys have done times a thousand. I couldn’t be more proud to coach you guys. This is going to be such a fun ride.”

“Secondly, it’s staff of the month. Not coach of the month. That’s everyone. Front office, performance, the incredible coaching staff we have. It’s every single one of us here.”

#WNBA #named #Coach #Month #welldeserved">The WNBA just named a Coach of the Month, and it’s well-deserved  Alex Sarama was relatively unknown when the Portland Fire announced he’d be their first-ever head coach. But, on Wednesday, when the WNBA announced that Sarama was named Coach of the Month, it came as no surprise. Sarama led the Fire to a 6-4 record in May and several improbable victories, while making a name for himself in broad basketball circles.At just 30 years old, Sarama was an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers and became the director of player development.He joined NBA Europe in 2020, became a Paris Basketball player improvement specialist in 2022, and was the director of methodology for the British Basketball League’s London Lions in 2023. In the 2023-2024 season, Sarama was an assistant coach for the Rip City Remix, the Portland Trail Blazers’ G League affiliate. Then, in 2024, he became an assistant for the Cavaliers.Sarama is unique in that he is an advocate of the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) to skill acquisition and practice design, a methodology that emphasises decision-making, adaptability, and game-representative learning environments rather than isolated and repetitive drills.Sarama has cancelled morning shootarounds, had Fire players practice with just socks, and simulated specific drills with different constraints to emulate late-game scenarios.The Fire are 6-5 and owners of the league’s 8th-best record, despite being one of two WNBA expansion teams. In May, they went 6-4, accruing two wins over the New York Liberty and a win over the Indiana Fever, among other star-studded squads.On the court, Portland has been led by Carla Leite, who is averaging 15.2 points and 5.2 assists per game, both team-highs.Bridget Carleton, selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA’s expansion draft, is averaging 14.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game, while Emily Englster has been the top shot blocker in the league, averaging 2.3 blocks per game. Engstler is also averaging 9.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 assists per game. And, Sarah Ashlee Barker has been huge off the bench, averaging 10 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.In a video shared by the Fire, Sarama credited the players and his staff for his first-ever Coach of the Month honor.“This isn’t possible without incredible players. This is really because of you guys, number one,” he said. “Everything we’ve asked you to do, you guys have done times a thousand. I couldn’t be more proud to coach you guys. This is going to be such a fun ride.”“Secondly, it’s staff of the month. Not coach of the month. That’s everyone. Front office, performance, the incredible coaching staff we have. It’s every single one of us here.”  #WNBA #named #Coach #Month #welldeserved

Five-time champion India booked its place in the final of the SAFF Women’s Championship with a hard-fought 1-0 win over a resolute Bhutan in the second semifinal on Wednesday.

India, which found the winner through Sanfida Nongrum in the 60th minute, will meet defending champion Bangladesh in the title clash at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday.

Having scored 14 goals in two group-stage matches, the host was expected to dominate, but Bhutan once again showed the defensive discipline that had taken it to a third successive semifinal appearance.

Ranked 69th in the FIFA rankings, India controlled possession for long periods but found it difficult to break down Bhutan’s compact backline in a goalless first half.

The Blue Tigresses created chances through Karishma, Soumya Guguloth and Aveka Singh, but poor finishing and alert goalkeeping kept the scores level at the break.

Bhutan, meanwhile, remained a threat on the counterattack and squandered a couple of promising opportunities of its own.

India finally found the breakthrough when Sanfida scored after sustained pressure, giving the host the lead it had been searching for throughout the contest.

Coach Crispin Chhetri then introduced experienced attackers, including Manisha Kalyan and Pyari Xaxa, as India looked to put the game beyond Bhutan. However, Bhutan refused to back down and continued to test the Indian defence on the break.

The host created several openings in the closing stages but was unable to add to its tally.

ALSO READ: India vs Bhutan as it happened, highlights and facts

Bhutan, despite its determination, lacked the finishing touch required to force extra time as India held on for a narrow victory.

The Blue Tigresses are now one win away from reclaiming the title it last won in 2019.

Earlier in the day, Bangladesh beat Nepal 2-1 in the first semifinal to reach a third consecutive SAFF Women’s Championship final after substitute Sagorika scored a stoppage-time winner.

Bangladesh won the previous two editions, held in 2022 and 2024.

Published on Jun 03, 2026

#SAFF #Womens #Championship #India #scrapes #Bhutan #face #Bangladesh #title">SAFF Women’s Championship 2026: India scrapes past Bhutan 1-0, to face Bangladesh for title  Five-time champion India booked its place in the final of the SAFF Women’s Championship with a hard-fought 1-0 win over a resolute Bhutan in the second semifinal on Wednesday.India, which found the winner through Sanfida Nongrum in the 60th minute, will meet defending champion Bangladesh in the title clash at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday.Having scored 14 goals in two group-stage matches, the host was expected to dominate, but Bhutan once again showed the defensive discipline that had taken it to a third successive semifinal appearance.Ranked 69th in the FIFA rankings, India controlled possession for long periods but found it difficult to break down Bhutan’s compact backline in a goalless first half.The Blue Tigresses created chances through Karishma, Soumya Guguloth and Aveka Singh, but poor finishing and alert goalkeeping kept the scores level at the break.Bhutan, meanwhile, remained a threat on the counterattack and squandered a couple of promising opportunities of its own.India finally found the breakthrough when Sanfida scored after sustained pressure, giving the host the lead it had been searching for throughout the contest.Coach Crispin Chhetri then introduced experienced attackers, including Manisha Kalyan and Pyari Xaxa, as India looked to put the game beyond Bhutan. However, Bhutan refused to back down and continued to test the Indian defence on the break.The host created several openings in the closing stages but was unable to add to its tally.ALSO READ: India vs Bhutan as it happened, highlights and factsBhutan, despite its determination, lacked the finishing touch required to force extra time as India held on for a narrow victory.The Blue Tigresses are now one win away from reclaiming the title it last won in 2019.Earlier in the day, Bangladesh beat Nepal 2-1 in the first semifinal to reach a third consecutive SAFF Women’s Championship final after substitute Sagorika scored a stoppage-time winner.Bangladesh won the previous two editions, held in 2022 and 2024.Published on Jun 03, 2026  #SAFF #Womens #Championship #India #scrapes #Bhutan #face #Bangladesh #title

India vs Bhutan as it happened, highlights and facts

Bhutan, despite its determination, lacked the finishing touch required to force extra time as India held on for a narrow victory.

The Blue Tigresses are now one win away from reclaiming the title it last won in 2019.

Earlier in the day, Bangladesh beat Nepal 2-1 in the first semifinal to reach a third consecutive SAFF Women’s Championship final after substitute Sagorika scored a stoppage-time winner.

Bangladesh won the previous two editions, held in 2022 and 2024.

Published on Jun 03, 2026

#SAFF #Womens #Championship #India #scrapes #Bhutan #face #Bangladesh #title">SAFF Women’s Championship 2026: India scrapes past Bhutan 1-0, to face Bangladesh for title

Five-time champion India booked its place in the final of the SAFF Women’s Championship with a hard-fought 1-0 win over a resolute Bhutan in the second semifinal on Wednesday.

India, which found the winner through Sanfida Nongrum in the 60th minute, will meet defending champion Bangladesh in the title clash at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday.

Having scored 14 goals in two group-stage matches, the host was expected to dominate, but Bhutan once again showed the defensive discipline that had taken it to a third successive semifinal appearance.

Ranked 69th in the FIFA rankings, India controlled possession for long periods but found it difficult to break down Bhutan’s compact backline in a goalless first half.

The Blue Tigresses created chances through Karishma, Soumya Guguloth and Aveka Singh, but poor finishing and alert goalkeeping kept the scores level at the break.

Bhutan, meanwhile, remained a threat on the counterattack and squandered a couple of promising opportunities of its own.

India finally found the breakthrough when Sanfida scored after sustained pressure, giving the host the lead it had been searching for throughout the contest.

Coach Crispin Chhetri then introduced experienced attackers, including Manisha Kalyan and Pyari Xaxa, as India looked to put the game beyond Bhutan. However, Bhutan refused to back down and continued to test the Indian defence on the break.

The host created several openings in the closing stages but was unable to add to its tally.

ALSO READ: India vs Bhutan as it happened, highlights and facts

Bhutan, despite its determination, lacked the finishing touch required to force extra time as India held on for a narrow victory.

The Blue Tigresses are now one win away from reclaiming the title it last won in 2019.

Earlier in the day, Bangladesh beat Nepal 2-1 in the first semifinal to reach a third consecutive SAFF Women’s Championship final after substitute Sagorika scored a stoppage-time winner.

Bangladesh won the previous two editions, held in 2022 and 2024.

Published on Jun 03, 2026

#SAFF #Womens #Championship #India #scrapes #Bhutan #face #Bangladesh #title

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