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.[1][2][3] 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.[2][3] The team was however disbanded after the season.
Relaunch 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.[4] They had appointed former India International Kuntala Ghosh Dastidar as the head coach of the team.[5][6] In October, initial trials were conducted by the club under Kuntala Ghosh Dastidar, with over 150 women participating.[7][8] On 27 December, IFA registration of 21 players was done for the Women's League that commenced in January 2020.[9] 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.[10]
On 13 February East Bengal Women's team made history as they faced Biddyut Sporting. They led 18–0 within 30 minutes when the opposing team forfeited the game and the referee awarded it to East Bengal.[11] 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.[12] 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. 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.[13]
However, due to a tussle between the club officials and the investor group Shree Cement, the women's football team and all the players were released. It was informed that they would not be fielding a team for the 2021–22 Kanyashree Cup.[14]
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.[15] 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.[16] On 18 December, they announced the squad for the 2022–23 Kanyashree Cup.[17][18] 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.[19] 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.[20][21][22] 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.[21] On 19 January, East Bengal defeated Adivasi United Students Club 3–0 in the last match of the group stages to enter the knockouts. They finished top of the group with seven wins, including two walkovers given by Dipti Sangha and Kolkata Union Sporting Club, having scored fifty-eight goals without conceding a single.[23][24] 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.[25] 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.[26][27] 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.[28][29][30]
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.[31] 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.[32][33] On 22 April, the club announced the squad for the Indian Women's League campaign, with eleven names from the Kanyashree Cup championship team.[34] 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.[35][36] 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.[37][38][39][40] 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.[41] 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.[42] 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.[43][44] 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.[45]
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.[46] 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.[46][47][48]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
^"এবার কন্যাশ্রী কাপে খেলবে না ইস্ট বেঙ্গল" [East Bengal won't play in this year's Kanyashree Cup]. Bartaman Patrika (in Bengali). 3 January 2022. Archived from the original on 3 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
^Chakraborty, Sanghamitra (10 January 2023). "East Bengal: এক ম্যাচে ৩৫ গোল! রেকর্ড জয় ইস্টবেঙ্গলের" [East Bengal: 35 goals in one match! East Bengal's record win]. TV9 Bangla (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
^"আইএফএ শিল্ড সেমিফাইনালে গেল ইস্টবেঙ্গল" [East Bengal reached the IFA Shield semi-finals]. Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). 31 May 2023. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
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