Kathmandu, September 2: Captain of the Nepali national women’s football team, Sabitra Bhandari, has departed for New Zealand to compete in the Australian top-tier women’s league, the A-League Women. She left on Monday night to begin her new chapter abroad.
Through her social media, Sabitra announced her departure, writing: “Starting new journey with lots of blessings and support from Nepalese fans. Excited to be part of Wellington Phoenix and play in front of Nepali diaspora down under.”
Last month, she officially signed a two-year contract with Wellington Phoenix, a club that competes in the A-League Women.
Wellington Phoenix, who finished ninth last season, will look to strengthen their squad with the addition of the prolific striker.
Bhandari previously played in Europe for EA Guingamp in France, where she scored 6 goals in 18 appearances, including a hat-trick against Saint-Étienne and a brace against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). She remains the first Nepali footballer to score Hattrick in a top European league.
At the international level, she is Nepal’s all-time leading scorer, with 66 goals in 60 matches. In the Indian Women’s League, she scored 60 goals in just 24 matches and lifted the league title three times in a row.
