Manipur girls fall short as Jharkhand wins Sub-Junior National Football title

Manipur’s young footballers came close to glory but fell just short as Jharkhand edged them 3-2 in a thrilling final of the Sub Junior Girls’ National Football Championship 2025-26 Tier 1 at Jorhat Stadium, Assam. Despite a late surge, the hosts were unable to overturn the deficit, settling for the runners-up position.

After a tense first half, Jharkhand broke the deadlock right before half-time in the 45th minute, when Waikhom Lanthoi Chanu scored an own goal. 

Soon after the break, Anamika Kumari added a second turning in a well-placed cross to make it 2-0. 

In the 56th minute, Lanthoi redeemed herself when she gave Manipur hope with a thunderous long-range strike from near the halfway line, sailing over the keeper into the net. Jharkhand, however, responded just three minutes later. 

Brought down in a dangerous position, Nensi Munda won a free kick and stepped up curling it past the keeper, making it 3-1. 

Manipur refused to give up and struck again in the 84th minute, narrowing the gap to 2-3. They nearly forced an equaliser from a free-kick in added time, but Jharkhand's keeper Palak Mahto stood tall to ensure a 3-2 win. The victory sealed Jharkhand's third Sub-Junior Girls' National Championship title. 

Earlier, the Indian women's U17 team stamped their authority in South Asia with a commanding 5-0 victory over Nepal at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu to clinch the SAFF U17 Women's Championship 2025 title in style. 

The Young Tigresses led 3-0 at half-time. The victory lifted India to 15 points from five matches, an unassailable lead at the top of the table. 

Second-placed Bangladesh's slip-up earlier in the day (a 1-1 draw against hosts Bhutan) ensured the title for India. Pearl Fernandes (15', 43') and Divyani Linda (79', 90 + 2' ) both scored a brace each. Nira Chanu Longjam (5') also scored the other goal.