The SAFF Women’s Championship semi-final between India and Nepal became the center of drama as the game faced multiple interruptions due to controversial calls, crowd unrest, and contentious refereeing decisions.
Played in front of a packed stadium of passionate home fans, the match experienced two significant stoppages, culminating in a combined over 40 minutes of delay.
In the first half, Nepal’s fans grew frustrated when a potential penalty for handball against an Indian player went uncalled.
This decision left the crowd simmering, and tensions continued to mount in the second half when Nepali player Rekha Poudel was issued a second yellow card, leading to her dismissal from the match.
Video replays indicated she had cleanly won the ball with minimal contact, and many speculated that the yellow was given for a high-footed attempt.
This debatable call incited further agitation among fans, leading to an 11-minute halt as they threw bottles and other objects onto the field. Nepal’s players were forced to appeal to the crowd to calm down so play could resume, even with their team down to 10 players.
The tension escalated again in the 70th minute when India scored through Sangita Basfore, sparking celebrations among the players.
However, the referee unexpectedly signaled play to continue before all Indian players were back on their side.
Taking advantage of this, Nepal quickly scored, only to have the goal disallowed, citing that play hadn’t fully resumed.
This decision ignited fierce protests from both teams: India argued the goal shouldn’t count since they were out of position, while Nepal insisted it should stand.
The fans, already frustrated, resumed throwing objects onto the field in protest.
The second stoppage extended the total delay by an additional 28 minutes, leaving both teams and fans in a state of frustration.
The match highlighted the need for clear communication and precise officiating, especially in such high-stakes games where emotions and expectations run high.
As play is yet to be resumed, questions lingered over the officiating standards, crowd control, and the impact of these interruptions on the game’s outcome.