Gokulam Kerala FC has announced its team for the upcoming Indian Women’s League, which kicks off this Friday (January 10, 2025) at 4 PM at the EMS Stadium in Kozhikode. With the aim of reclaiming the title they lost last season, Gokulam has assembled a formidable squad.
The club has signed five new players, including one foreign player and four Indian talents. T.H. Sahina from Manipur is the new addition to the defense. Pranitha Nimkar is another player who has joined Gokulam. She will also play in defense. Daya Devi, a forward from Manipur, Catherine from Kenya, and Mahalakshmi from Tamil Nadu are the other new additions to the Gokulam Kerala squad. Ugandan star Fazila, the league’s top scorer last season, will once again be a key player for Gokulam Kerala. Kenyan defender Okeeh Oviti, who had an impressive performance last season, will also bolster the Malabarians’ women’s team.
Gokulam Kerala FC’s women’s team has emerged as a dominant force in Indian women’s football, achieving a level of success unprecedented for a club in the country. Their crowning achievement lies in their three consecutive Indian Women’s League (IWL) titles, a feat that solidified their status as the most successful club in the competition’s history. They won their 2021-22 and 2022-23 IWL titles without even losing a match. However, departure of key players weakened the team which led to a second place finish in the last season, which was a sub-par performance considering the standards set by Gokulam. Even in the last IWL, they had lost only one match which was against the winners Odisha FC.
Beyond domestic dominance, Gokulam Kerala FC’s women’s team has made history by becoming the first Indian club to participate in the prestigious AFC Women’s Club Championship.
This season won’t be an easy campaign for the ladies from Malabar. Teams like East Bengal, Sreebhumi FC, Sethu FC, and Kickstart FC have made formidable teams and they also have foreigners in their roster. Sreebhumi FC has signed experienced campaigners; Aditi Chauhan and Bala Devi, for this season. Anthony Andrews, the coach who led Gokulam Kerala to two consecutive IWL titles, has now switched his allegiance to East Bengal FC.
Gokulam aims to win the championship this time, having won the IWL title three times previously. Ranjan Chaudhary from Kolkata is the team’s coach. Chaudhary, with his vast experience in coaching various teams in Indian football, is expected to provide strong leadership to the Gokulam women’s team. Rujuta is the assistant coach, and Adil Ansari is the goalkeeping coach.
Team:
Goalkeepers: Saumya Narayanaswamy, Payal Basudev, S. Anita
Defenders: Phoebe Oviti (Kenya), Thokchom Martina, T.H. Sahina, Priyadarshini, P. Durga, Katrina Devi, Pinky Kashyap, Shubhangi Singh, Angel Shaji, Pranitha Nimkar, E. Thirtha Lakshmi, Alexib P. Samson
Midfielders: Ratan Bala Devi, Shilky Devi, M. Sona, Subba Muskan, Sonia Jose, Shilji Shaji, Baby Lalchungdami
Forwards: Harshika Manish Jain, Harmilin Kaur, Manasa K, P.M. Aarathi, R. Darshani, Mahalakshmi, Assam Roja Devi, Daya Devi, Fazila (Uganda), Aringo (Kenya), Sumith Kumari
