Shillong, Aug 31: Jharkhand were crowned champions of the Sub-Junior Girls’ National Football Championship 2025-26 Tier 1 with a 3-2 win over Manipur in a thrilling final in Jorhat, Assam, yesterday.
This was a rematch of last year’s final, which Manipur won.
In a tense first half, Jharkhand broke the deadlock right before half time in the 45th minute when Waikhom Lanthoi Chanu scored an own goal.
Soon after the break, Anamika Kumari added a second turning in a well-placed cross to make it 2-0.
In the 56th minute, Lanthoi redeemed herself when she gave Manipur hope with a thunderous long-range strike from near the halfway line, sailing over the keeper into the net.
Jharkhand, however, responded just three minutes later. Brought down in a dangerous position, Nensi Munda won a free-kick and stepped up curling it past the keeper, making it 3-1.
Manipur refused to give up and struck again in the 84th minute, narrowing the gap to 3-2. They nearly forced an equaliser from a free-kick in added time, but Jharkhand’s keeper Palak Mahto stood tall to ensure a 3-2 win.
The victory sealed Jharkhand’s third Sub-Junior Girls’ National Championship title. They have now won three of the last four editions of the tournament.
Jharkhand had also heavily defeated Meghalaya during the group stage this year.
(All India Football Federation photo)
