Sesa Football Academy 0
drew with
Gokulam Kerala FC 0

AIFF Media Team

KOLKATA: Sesa Football Academy got their first point in the Indian Women’s League 2025-26, after playing out a stalemate against Gokulam Kerala FC at the National Centre of Excellence in Kolkata, on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

Gokulam Kerala, who have now not suffered defeat in their last four matches, remain sixth with seven points from six games, just one spot above the relegation zone. Sesa remain rock bottom, but the newly-promoted side have a point to show for their efforts in their six IWL matches.

As expected, Gokulam Kerala began searching for the lead early on, Shilji Shaji hitting the post off an attempted half-volley from outside the box in the second minute.

The woodwork denied Gokulam once again, Shubhangi Singh hitting the crossbar from outside the box on this occasion.

Minutes later, Sesa thought they had taken the lead against the run of play, when their Kenyan midfielder Omita Bertha was played behind the defence before she turned her marker and volleyed it in at the near post. However, she was deemed to have committed a foul, and a free kick was awarded to Gokulam.

The Malabarians dominated the proceedings with the intent to work the ball to the wings and sending in crosses. However, a plethora of inaccurate centres from wide positions meant that despite all the possession, Gokulam could not muster many clear chances.

Sesa came out with a clear plan to steal the ball around the half-line and launch counter-attacks after the change of ends. That worked only for a while, though, before Gokulam began asserting their dominance once again. Phoebe Owiti, who had replaced Mira Devi at half-time, was the driving force behind Gokulam’s play in the second half.

She managed to get into a dangerous position to send in a cross in the 50th minute, but none of her teammates read it as the ball rolled onto the throw line.

Phoebe was played in behind the lines once again in the 66th, as she turned her marker before flashing a cross across the goal, but Sesa goalkeeper Beatrice Nketia collected it calmly.

Phoebe began to drop deep and conduct the play from midfield, and soon enough created another opportunity in the 74th minute, where her chipped through ball was chased by Babita Devi and Shilji, but it was the goalkeeper Beatrice, who won the race to the ball.

Sesa had yet another goal disallowed in injury time, when Sulekha Kanhar nodded in Sarjida Khatun’s cross, but the former was flagged offside.