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The first semifinal is poised to be a close contest when Sethu FC face off against Kickstart FC at the TransStadia in Ahmedabad at 5pm IST. It will be the second meeting between the two sides in nine days after the spoils were shared in a goalless draw in the group stage.
Sethu FC, who won the IWL title in 2018-19, came within touching distance of clinching the crown again last season in Bhubaneswar, finishing a mere three points adrift of Gokulam Kerala FC. The Madurai side topped Group B this season with five wins and two draws, and a 9-0 thrashing of East Bengal FC in the quarterfinals has given them another shot at becoming IWL champions.
Head coach Joseph Naik reflected on the previous meeting with Kickstart FC in the group stage and shared his expectations from the game. “They are a good side with experienced players, so it won’t be an easy game. They will fight to win, but we will play our brand of football to overcome their challenge,” he said.
Kickstart FC finished third in the IWL last season, but are aiming to go higher in this campaign. They finished in second place in Group B, behind Sethu FC and defeated FC HOPS 2-1 in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, thanks to an injury-time winner from Kenyan forward Kioko Elizabeth Katungwa.
Kickstart FC head coach Chaoba Devi and her side are raring to go. “We will not miss this golden opportunity. Our girls are well prepared to go all out. This is the kind of match the players have been waiting for, and now is the chance to prove their worth,” she said.
The IWL semifinal between Sethu FC and Kickstart FC will be streamed live on the Indian Football YouTube Channel.
