KOCHI: Gokulam Kerala FC’s growing reputation as one of the premium football clubs in the country received a shot in the arm on Thursday when the All India Football Federation (AIFF) nominated its women’s team to represent India in the AFC Club Championship 2021.
Their nomination comes by virtue of their title triumph in the Indian Women’s League held in February last year after the AIFF decided to postpone the fifth edition of the tournament due to the pandemic and the monsoon.
The nomination also means that the Kozhikode-based club will be the first Indian club to have both their men’s and women’s teams playing in the AFC tournament in the same season. Gokulam’s men’s team that won the I-League title last year will be playing in the AFC Cup 2021, the second-tier club tournament held in Asia.
“GKFC have always been supporting women’s football India and we believe our entry to the continental cup will motivate more girls to take up this beautiful game. We believe that if we win the title it will make our women flagbearers of the country in Asian football and our aim is to do our best,” said VC Praveen, president of Gokulam Kerala.
Gokulam had beaten Manipuri club Kryphsa 3-2 in the title clash to emerge champions of Indian Women’s League in February 2020. The team coached by Priya C and led by Michel Castanha, had players like Aditi Chauhan, Sabitra and Agbo in its roster.
The second edition of the AFC Women’s Club Championship is scheduled to be held in October and the presence of Gokulam women’s team in the tournament will be a major fillip to women’s football in the country.
