Football
Gokulam Kerala captain apologizes after unruly tackle, to miss next match
The Malabarians will be missing their captain and shot stopper against FC Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan on Saturday.
Aditi Chauhan, captain of Gokulam Kerala FC is set to miss the final group stage match of the AFC Women's Club Championship due to a red card that she collected in the match against Shahrdari Sirjan. The Malabarians will be missing their captain and shot stopper against FC Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan on Saturday. The match is set to be played at 7:30 IST. Shreya is expected to be in goal for that match.
Aditi Chauhan went on a flying tackle on Sirjan and Iranian striker Zahra Alizadeh in the 64th minute outside the box. The tackle looked nasty as Aditi never looked likely to get any touch of the ball. Instead of the ball, Aditi finished her tackle on Zahra's face resulting in an immediate medical withdrawn. Zahra was rushed to the hospital and is suspected to have suffered a facial bone fracture. With the help of the Video Assistance Referee (VAR), the Vietnamese referee showed Aditi a straight red card. To make matters worse, Gokulam Kerala conceded from the resulting freekick just outside the box.
Later after the game Aditi went on to Twitter to apologize for her s she wished Zahra a speedy recovery. She opined, "It was never my intention to hurt anyone. Glad to hear she's doing better. Praying for Zahra's speedy recovery"
Aditi Chauhan is an experienced goalkeeper in the Indian football circuit. She spent 3 years (2015-18) in London playing semi-professional football for English giant West Han United Women team. She represented the hammers in 7 games during her stint while pursuing her degree in Sports Management from Loughborough University, England. Currently, Aditi captains Gokulam Kerala FC ladies and also has 26 international caps to her name for India.
Being seen as a strong team at the beginning of the tournament, Gokulam Kerala FC Women finds themselves in a mere unexpected situation. With two losses from two games, Gokulam Kerala FC has no hopes to qualify for the knockout phases. Although the Malabarians will look to end their AFC Women's Club Championship on a high note with a win from the next match. Gokulam Kerala faced a disappointing defeat at the hands of Shahrdari Sirjan tonight despite being the better team throughout the game.
