Same date, same hero: Samba inspires Nepal past India once more

A year after her historic equaliser halted India in the SAFF semis, Sabitra Bhandari ‘Samba’ leads Nepal to a 2–1 win in Shillong, reviving memories of that fiery 2024 night.

When India hosted Nepal at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on Monday, it was the last game of the tri-nation friendly tournament comprising Iran. But as the tournament champions were already decided with Iran lifting the trophy on Friday—having defeated Nepal 0-3 on October 5 and India 0-2 on October 21—Nepal and India, the two neighbours who are also big rivals in South Asian women’s football, were in for a battle of prestige. Further, the date of the fixture—October 27—had a bigger meaning.