Kickstart FC produced one of the biggest upsets of the Indian Women’s League 2025-26 season with a spirited 2-1 comeback victory over defending champions East Bengal FC on Wednesday, bringing an end to the Kolkata giant’s impressive nine-match winning streak.
The result at the East Bengal Ground handed Kickstart three crucial points and dealt a major blow to the host’s perfect run in the competition.
East Bengal began brightly and looked set to continue its dominant form after taking an early lead in the seventh minute. Resty Nanziri burst through the Kickstart defence and showed excellent composure to square the ball for prolific striker Fazila Ikwaput, who calmly finished from close range to put the Moshal Girls ahead.
The defending champions appeared in control during the opening exchanges, but Kickstart responded strongly and capitalised on a costly defensive error to level the match in the 16th minute. A long ball into the East Bengal half created confusion between goalkeeper Elangbam Panthoi Chanu and defender Ashalata Devi. The mix-up proved disastrous as Emem Peace Essien reacted quickest to the loose ball and slotted home the equaliser to silence the home crowd.
Shortly after the goal, the match was interrupted for nearly 30 minutes because of severe rain and thunderstorms. The difficult weather conditions affected the rhythm of the contest after play resumed, with both teams struggling to establish control in midfield on the wet surface.
Despite the challenging conditions, Kickstart gradually grew into the game and found the decisive moment in spectacular fashion during the second half.
In the 58th minute, Th Babysana Devi produced a stunning long-range strike to put the visitors ahead. The midfielder unleashed a curling effort from nearly 20 yards that flew past the helpless East Bengal goalkeeper and into the net, giving Kickstart a lead they would never surrender.
East Bengal pushed aggressively for an equaliser in the closing stages, desperate to preserve its unbeaten record and avoid a shock defeat at home. However, Kickstart’s defence remained organised under pressure and successfully frustrated the defending champions until the final whistle.
Sandhya Maity delivered a commanding display at the back and was deservedly named Player of the Match for her crucial role in securing the victory.
Elsewhere in the league, Gokulam Kerala FC registered a dominant 6-2 win over Garhwal United FC, while Sribhumi FC fought back in the second half to earn a 2-2 draw against SESA Football Academy. Sethu FC also produced an impressive comeback performance, defeating Nita FA 3-1 after trailing earlier in the contest.
Kickstart’s memorable victory now throws fresh excitement into the title race as the league season heads into a crucial phase.
