The quarterfinals of the 2023 Hero Indian Women’s League or IWL is set. After seven thrilling rounds of games in the group stages in a single round-robin format, the top four sides from Group A and Group B, each consisting of eight teams, have qualified for the last eight stages of the competition. All the games in the quarterfinals will be played on Tuesday, 16 May 2023. The venues will be the same as the group stages in Shahibaug Police Stadium and TransStadia, located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Defending champions Gokulam Kerala FC, Sports Odisha, East Bengal FC and HOPS FC have progressed from Group A whereas former winners Sethu Madurai and Eastern Sporting Union, Kickstart FC and Odisha FC qualified from Group B. They have also automatically qualified for the next season of the IWL on the virtue of being the best eight teams in the competition this campaign.
Final Table
Group A
Pos | Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
1 | Gokulam Kerala FC | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 5 | 48 | 19 |
2 | Sports Odisha | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 13 | -2 | 13 |
3 | East Bengal FC | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 13 | -1 | 13 |
4 | HOPS FC | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 12 |
5 | Mumbai Knights FC | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 18 | -11 | 10 |
6 | Misaka United FC | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 10 |
7 | MATA RUKMANI FC | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 18 | -18 | 1 |
8 | Kahaani FC | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 31 | -29 | 1 |
Group B
Pos | Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
1 | Sethu Madurai | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 2 | 23 | 17 |
2 | Kickstart FC | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 30 | 2 | 28 | 16 |
3 | Odisha FC | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 2 | 26 | 16 |
4 | Eastern Sporting Union | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 15 |
5 | CRPF FC | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 26 | -17 | 7 |
6 | Celtic Queens F C | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 25 | -20 | 4 |
7 | Lords FA Kochi | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 24 | -13 | 3 |
8 | Churchill Brothers FC | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 35 | -29 | 3 |
Fixtures
Sports Odisha vs Eastern Sporting Union - Shahibaug Police Stadium (8:00 AM)
Sports Odisha finished runners-up in Group A after clinching a 4-1 win over CRPF FC in the last round of deciding games for the top-four place and it land them with a huge tie against Eastern Sporting Union, who ended fourth in Group B. This was a big achievement for the government-owned team of the state. Sports Odisha claimed four wins and only lost twice to reach the quarterfinals with Anju, Rekha Poudel and Manisha Naik getting the majority of goals for the side.
Eastern Sporting Union would not have wanted to finish in fourth but considering only two points separated them from the top place in a highly competitive Group B, they will not mind their standings. Led by national teamer and one of IWL's top scorers Yumnam Kamala Devi, the inaugural winners will now hope to enter the semifinals anticipating another title amid other clear favourites to win the league. There is an unpredictability surrounding Sports Odisha but the Mainpur-based side sustains enough quality to take them through.
Kickstart FC vs Hops FC - TransStadia (8:00 AM)
Kickstart FC had a debut season to remember advancing to the quarterfinals by finishing second in Group B only a point off the top. Managed by former national team captain Langam Chaoba Devi, the team containing several national teamers of different age groups picked up five wins from seven games losing just once in the group stages. They conceded just twice thanks to the incredible solidity of the back five and were lethal in attack too scoring the most goals in the group with 30. The side from Karnataka now dreams of entering the last four of the competition on the back of stunning form.
Another debutant, Hops FC were also jubilant after securing a top-four place in Group A amid an intense battle with Mumbai Kings and Misaka United for the fourth spot. Ultimately, the Delhi-based side finished two points ahead of the rest although losing to third-ranked East Bengal in the last group stage game. The four wins secured were just about enough to take them through. They are now ready to take on the runners-up from Group B in the quarterfinals hoping to continue their dream season.
Sethu Madurai FC vs East Bengal FC - TransStadia (5:00 PM)
Group B winners Sethu Madurai FC will take on East Bengal, the third-placed team in Group A, in an interesting quarterfinal tie. The 2018-19 winners showed their class in the IWL again claiming the top spot in a tight group with just one separating them from the rest. They are one of the two sides, the other being the holders Gokulam Kerala, to not have conceded defeat in the seven group stage games. The team's star was Kajol D’Souza who scored nine goals from the advanced midfield role and is the second top-scorer in the competition this season. Sethu is no stranger to unforgiving knockout stages and should make it to the semifinals also knowing their opposition is in disarray with their managerial situation.
Despite guiding East Bengal to a quarterfinal berth in their first campaign in the IWL, former Indian international Sujata Kar abruptly stepped down from her managerial role midway through the competition and just days after securing the place with a 1-0 win over Hops FC in the final group games. Kar alleged that repeated interference and insults from a club official since she has taken charge were the reasons for her to resign. The management has now come under severe criticism again from the Red and Gold fans as they scramble to stop a bad situation from going worse. On the field, East Bengal will try to keep their head playing this crucial game which could have added more to their historical year so far.
Gokulam Kerala FC vs Odisha FC - Shahibaug Police Stadium (5:00 PM)
The headline-grabbing tie in the quarterfinal sees two-time defending champions Gokulam Kerala taking on a star-studded Odisha FC, one of the two ISL franchises in the lWL. The Malabarians were unstoppable yet again this season winning six of their seven group games, dropping points and failing to score just once in the 0-0 draw to sixth-placed Misaka United FC. That had to go down as an unreal feat for the debutants as no other side have escaped Gokulam’s wrath. Anthony Andrew’s team scored an emphatic 53 goals with Nepal International Sabitra Bandari scoring a whopping 26 of them. She is not just the top scorer for the season but now has scored the most goals in league history with 57 strikes, at least 10 more than the record set by the Indian national team’s top-scorer Bala Devi whom she will meet in this clash.
The Juggernauts have a massive task in hand to prevent a near-perfect side from entering the semifinals and secure their third league honour in a row. Crispin Chettri’s side settled for a third-place finish in Group B with a squad that was expected to secure the top spot. With a cluster of high-voltage signings, Odisha FC did not meet expectations. However, considering they finished just a point off the first place paired with former winners like Sethu Madurai and Eastern Sporting Union, their debut campaign was decent. Kickstart FC were also a robust side to get past so Odisha will have plenty of experience already handling a top side. With their immense quality, anything is possible. But facing the best team in the nation is a test like no other and one they have to approach cautiously to stay in the contest for at least another round.
Also Read | Hero IWL 2023: Groups confirmed by AIFF
