While the sporting activities are being postponed throughout the country, citing instability in the country following the youth-led protest on September 8 and 9, the Jeetpur-Simara International Invitation Women’s Football Tournament resumed on Friday.

The tournament, which kicked off between eight teams in a knockout format on September 6, was postponed, with the fourth and final quarterfinal match between Dharan City FC and Nepal Police Club cancelled on September 9.

Meanwhile, as the event resumed on September 12 with the remaining quarterfinal match and the first semifinal between Rautahat District Football Association and Tribhuvan Army FC (TAFC), the final match took place on Monday between TAFC and Armed Police Force (APF) Club with over 6,000 fans in attendance under the floodlights.

The final match kicked off at around 7:45 pm between the star-studded APF Club and TAFC as the game was affected by heavy rain.

The ground was a muddy mess, with potholes hampering the players’ ability to control the ball properly.

It was thanks to the water-affected ground that TAFC got a lead against APF, a team filled with players representing the Nepali national team.

TAFC got the lead in the 9th minute. APF’s Manmaya Damai was beaten as she misjudged the ball that turned unexpectedly on the rain-soaked ground. TAFC’s Sanju Kumal got the ball and then tried a cross from the right flank, but Kumal’s cross went inside the net, beating APF’s goalie Sabitri Kishan.

“It has been over 10 years since the stadium construction began, but the condition is dire,” Bikram Thapa, the commentator of the tournament, said as the final match continued. “The only other stadium in Madhesh Province is the Narayani Stadium, but that too is in a dire state.”

Thapa continued, “If it rained again, we would even have to stop the live telecast as it is the condition of Simara Stadium.”

Of late, women’s football has been getting more popular than men’s in Nepal. Over 18,000 fans caught the Jeetpur Simara Tournament live on GoalNepal’s YouTube channel, outnumbering those watching the SAFF U17 Men’s Championship, where Nepal faced Sri Lanka in the tournament opener.

Meanwhile, despite leading with less than 30 minutes of the regulation time remaining, TAFC lost after APF made a comeback with two goals in a span of four minutes.

Rashmi Kumari Ghising, with a header, scored the equaliser in the 64th minute, capitalising on the cross by skipper Anita Basnet. It was again the same duo in the 68th minute as the 10-member APF led 2-1. Basnet, this time through a free kick, found Ghising inside the box in the 68th minute.

Both teams had enough chances to extend their respective scores. Yet, the game ended with APF making a comeback win with the score settled at 2-1.

The winner of the tournament, APF, who were congratulated with fireworks after the final whistle, received a cash prize of Rs500,000, while TAFC received Rs250,000 as the runner-up.