Latest news with #SabitraBhandari
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Nepal captain Sabitra Bhandari signed by A-League club Wellington Phoenix
The captain of the Nepalese women's football team Sabitra Bhandari has signed with A-League club Wellington Phoenix until the end of the 2026-27 season. 'Sabitra, a national icon and Nepal's all-time leading goal scorer. Her leadership, experience, and on-field excellence will be invaluable both on and off the pitch,' the club wrote in a post on Instagram. Bhandari recently led the national team in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, where Nepal fell short after losing a decisive match against Uzbekistan on penalties. She has previously played for Indian Women's League (IWL) side Gokulam Kerala. Bhandari is currently the all-time top-scorer in IWL. Related Topics Sabitra Bhandari
RNZ News
7 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Nepal captain signs for Wellington Phoenix
Photo: Photosport The Wellington Phoenix have secured the signature of Nepal women's captain Sabitra Bhandari for the next two A-League seasons. Bhandari, 29, has been a prolific goal scorer for both club and country. The striker, popularly known as Samba, has scored 66 goals in 60 matches for Nepal, including netting three hat-tricks in three matches in the recent AFC Women's Asian Cup qualification tournament. She found the back of the net more than 60 times in 24 matches in the Indian Women's Super League, helping secure a move to En Avant Guingamp in France, where last year she became the first Nepalese player to play and score in a top European league. Interim Phoenix head coach Amy Shepherd believed the Phoenix have signed a player of "exceptional calibre". "She has demonstrated her abilities against some of the best players in the world in France, and brings a wealth of international experience and attacking prowess to our squad. "Sabitra is a national icon in Nepal and the country's all-time leading goal scorer, and her leadership, experience, and on-field excellence will be invaluable both on and off the pitch. "Her natural movement, intelligent link-up play, and clinical finishing are qualities we believe will significantly enhance our effectiveness in the final third. Her presence promises to add a new dimension to our attacking play. "Beyond her footballing talents, Sabitra's inspiring journey, determination, and deep love for the game resonate strongly with the values of our club." Bhandari will get to Wellington for the start of pre-season training in September. "I am really excited to come to the Phoenix, score lots of goals and make the fans super happy," she said. "When I heard about the Phoenix's ambitions for next season, it was easy for me to make the decision to join." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Nepal fails to qualify for AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 despite Sabitra Bhandari hat-trick against Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan beat Nepal 4-2 in a penalty shootout in a qualifier on Saturday to book its place in next year's AFC Women's Asian Cup. Despite Sabitra Bhandari's hat-trick, which helped Nepal equalise the score to 3-3 in regulation time, the South Asian side failed to qualify for the continental event. The Nepal skipper also failed her penalty in the shootout. More to follow...
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
How many goals has Sabitra Bhandari scored for Nepal in international football?
Nepal is currently participating in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers and has opened its campaign with a thumping 9-0 win over Laos. Four of those goals were scored by captain Sabitra Bhandari, who has been a constant source of goals for the Nepal national team for more than a decade. Sabitra has already scored in Nepal's second qualifier against Sri Lanka on Wednesday, and taken her tally to 58 goals in 55 appearances for the national team. Here's a look at the goals scored by Sabitra, also known as 'Samba', and how she has fared against particular countries: Bhutan - 10 goals Maldives - 8 goals India - 7 goals Iraq - 5 goals Sri Lanka - 5 goals Kyrgyzstan - 4 goals Laos - 4 goals Bangladesh - 2 goals Myanmar - 2 goals Lebanon - 2 goals Iran - 2 goals Indonesia - 2 goals Palestine - 2 goals Syria - 1 goal Vietnam - 1 goal Tajikistan - 1 goal
The Hindu
29-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Sabitra shines as Nepal thrashes Laos to open AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers campaign with win
Sabitra Bhandari led from the front as Nepal began its AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers campaign with a thumping 9-0 win against Laos on Sunday in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. While Sabitra - who plays her club football in France for En Avant Guingamp - bagged four goals, Anita Basnet, Saru Limbu, and Rashmi Kumari, and Anita also found the back of the net. Towards the end of the game, a Laos player scored an own goal, not helping the team's situation in this drubbing handed by the Nepalese players. More to follow...
