Postponement and cancellation had been its fate for the last two-and-a-half years, with two deferrings in the first part of this year alone. But the U17 Women's National Football Championship - in the year that India will compete in the FIFA U17 World Cup as hosts - having completed the group stage, will be entering the knockout phase in Assam on Wednesday.
The tournament will also shift from the five venues around the state and host all the remaining fixtures at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, where the toppers from the eight groups will vie for spots in semifinal.
The first quarterfinal is expected to be an attacking affair with the two most prolific teams from the group stage facing one another. While Manipur has a history of winning performance at the national championship, Bihar will be in opposition to make a history of their own for the first time.
With attackers Lucky Kumari and Shruti Kumari having scored 20 goals between them to earn Bihar a quarters berth from Group C, leaving behind the likes of Delhi and Meghalaya, they will look to control the game with their attacking prowess.
On the other hand, Group A toppers Manipur will look to beat Bihar and continue their stride into the semis. Striker Kimte Langel, with nine goals from three games, will once again be vital for the northeast side.
In the second quarterfinal on the day, Group D leaders Arunachal Pradesh, who made it to the quarters with better goal difference than second-placed Mizoram, will lock horns with toppers from Group D Chhattisgarh.
