India to defend SAFF Women's Cup title in Sri Lanka next month

The second SAFF Women's Championship will once again be organised by the South Asian Football Federation and the tournament will be held from September 7 to 16 at the Longden Place ground in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Indian Women go into the tournament as the defending champions having won the inaugural edition with a 1-0 final win against Nepal in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh in December 2010.

India have been drawn in Group A along with Bangladesh, Bhutan and hosts Sri Lanka. India face Bangladesh in their opener on September 7, then play the hosts Sri Lanka on September 9 and then face Bhutan on September 11. The other Group B contains Afghanistan, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan.

Interestingly both these groups had been drawn with the same set of four teams as two years ago at the 1st SAFF Women's Championship.

30 Indian Women probables are currently sweating it out at the SAI Eastern Centre to make the final 20 players squad which will fly across to Sri Lanka. India go into the tournament as the big title favourites, especially after having scored 41 goals and conceded only one in their title triumph in 2010.


FIXTURES

Quarterfinal League

Group A
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka

07-Sep-2012: India - Bangladesh
07-Sep-2012: Sri Lanka - Bhutan
09-Sep-2012: Sri Lanka - India
09-Sep-2012: Bangladesh - Bhutan
11-Sep-2012: Sri Lanka - Bangladesh
11-Sep-2012: India - Bhutan

Group B
Afghanistan, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan

08-Sep-2012: Nepal - Pakistan
08-Sep-2012: Maldives - Afghanistan
10-Sep-2012: Nepal - Maldives
10-Sep-2012: Pakistan - Afghanistan
12-Sep-2012: Nepal - Afghanistan
12-Sep-2012: Maldives - Pakistan

Semifinals
14-Sep-2012: Winner Group A - Runners-Up Group B
14-Sep-2012: Winner Group B - Runners-Up Group A

Final
16-Sep-2012: Winner SF1 - Winner SF2