Sabitra Bhandari

Sabitra Bhandari (Samba)
Personal information
Full name Sabitra Bhandari
Date of birth (1996-05-02) 2 May 1996 (age 27)
Place of birth Simpani, Lamjung, Nepal
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 En Avant Guingamp
Number 28
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2019 APF
2019 Sethu 7 (15)
2019–2020 Gokulam Kerala 7 (16)
2023 Gokulam Kerala 10 (29)
2023 Hapoel Ra'anana 2 (5)
2024– Guingamp 4 (1)
International career‡
2014– Nepal 46 (49)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing    Nepal
South Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 2016 India
Silver medal – second place 2022 Nepal
SAFF Women's Championship
Runner-up 2019 Nepal
Runner-up 2022 Nepal
WAFF Women's Championship
Runner-up 2024 Saudi Arabia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 February 2024

Sabitra Bhandari (Nepali: साबित्रा भण्डारी), popularly known as Samba,[1][2] is a Nepalese professional football player who plays as a forward for Division 1 Féminine club En Avant Guingamp and Nepal women's national team. She is the all-time highest goal scorer in Nepalese football history with 49 goals. She is the first Nepali female football player to get international recognition.[3]

Career[edit]

Bhandari in 2019

At club level, Bhandari plays for APF Club.[4] she became the best women striker of south Asia at the age of 20. In February 2017 she was invited to play the Maldives women's league.[citation needed]

Sethu FC[edit]

She joined Indian Women's League side Sethu FC for the 2018-19 Indian Women's League season.[5][6][7] In her debut match she scored 4 goals for the club against Manipur Police Sports Club on 6 May 2019. She was also awarded with women of the match in her first match with Sethu FC.[citation needed]

En Avant Guingamp[edit]

She made her debut on Feb 3rd ,2024 coming as a substitute on 78th minute . She is the first Nepalese player to play in European league.

International career[edit]

Bhandari represents Nepal at the international level. She participated in and even scored a goal against Bhutan at the 2014 SAFF Women's Championship. She represented the country during the 2016 South Asian Games where she scored two goals against Sri Lanka.[8] She scored the only goal in a friendly victory against Malaysia on 17 December 2016.[9]

Bhandari then played in Nepal's first match of the 2016 SAFF Women's Championship against Bhutan. She scored six goals as Nepal won 8–0 to open the tournament and scored 5 goals against Maldives in the 2nd group match.[10]

Career statistics[edit]

Club[edit]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sethu FC 2018-19 Indian Women's League 7 15 — — — 7 15
Total 7 15 — — — 7 15
Gokulam Kerala 2019–20 Indian Women's League 7 16 — — — 7 16
2022–23 Indian Women's League 10 29 — — — 10 29
Total 17 45 — — — 17 45
Hapoel Ra'anana 2023-24 Liga Alef North 2 5 — — — 2 5
Total 2 5 — — — 2 5
Guingamp 2023-24 Division 1 Féminine 4 1 — — — 4 1
Total 4 1 — — — 4 1
Career total 29 66 — — — 29 66

International[edit]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Nepal 2014 - 1
2015 - 0
2016 - 13
2017 - 2
2018 - 1
2019 - 18
2020 - 0
2021 - 0
2022 - 2
2023 - 6
2024 4 10
Total 46 53

International goals[edit]

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competititon
1. 12 November 2014 Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad, Pakistan  Bhutan 8–0 8–0 2014 SAFF Women's Championship
2. 13 February 2016 Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong, India  Sri Lanka 2–0 4–0 2016 South Asian Games
3. 3–0
4. 26 December 2016 Kanchenjunga Stadium, Siliguri, India  Bhutan 1–0 8–0 2016 SAFF Women's Championship
5. 2–0
6. 3–0
7. 5–0
8. 6–0
9. 7–0
10. 28 December 2016  Maldives 1–0 9–0
11. 2–0
12. 3–0
13. 4–0
14. 6–0
15. 2 January 2017  India 1–2 1–3
16. 11 November 2018 Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon, Myanmar  Myanmar 1–0 1–1 2020 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
17. 11 February 2019 Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, India  India 1–0 2–1 2019 Women's Gold Cup
18. 2–0
19. 13 February 2019  Iran 2–0 3–0
20. 3–0
21. 9 April 2019 Bahtoo Stadium, Mandalay, Myanmar  Indonesia 1–0 2–1 2020 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
22. 2–1
23. 12 March 2019 Sahid Rangsala, Biratnagar, Nepal  Bhutan 2–0 3–0 2019 SAFF Women's Championship
24. 16 March 2019  Bangladesh 2–0 3–0
25. 20 March 2019  Sri Lanka 3–0 4–0
26. 22 March 2019  India 1–1 1–3
27. 8 September 2019 Central Stadium Karakol, Kyrgyzstan  Kyrgyzstan 1–0 8–2 Friendly
28. 2–0
29. 6–2
30. 7–2
31. 10 September 2019  Tajikistan 1–0 1–0
32. 5 December 2019 Pokhara Rangasala, Pokhara, Nepal  Maldives 1–0 3–0 2019 South Asian Games
33. 2–0
34. 3–0
35. 6 September 2022 Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu, Nepal  Bhutan 1–0 4–0 2022 SAFF Women's Championship
36. 2–0
37. 16 February 2023 Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai, India  India 1–2 2–2 Friendly
38. 2–2
39. 5 April 2023 Dasarath Rangasala, Kathmandu, Nepal  Vietnam 1–4 1–5 2024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
40. 13 July 2023 Bir Sherestha Shaheed Shipahi Mostafa Kamal Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh  Bangladesh 1–1 1–1 Friendly
41. 20 February 2024 King Abdullah Sports City Reserve Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia  Syria 1–0 4–1 2024 WAFF Women's Championship
42. 22 February 2024  Iraq 1–0 5–0
43. 2–0
44. 3–0
45. 4–0
46. 5–0
47. 24 February 2024  Palestine 1–0 4–0
48. 2–0
49. 27 February 2024 Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia  Lebanon 1–1 2–1

Honours[edit]

Sethu FC

Gokulam Kerala

Individual

  • Indian Women's League Top Scorer: 2019–20, 2022–23[12]
  • Top Goal Scorer of 2016 SAFF Women's Championship,
  • Best Player of Pradhansenapati International women's football tournament 2013,
  • Seventh National Game Of Nepal 2013 women's football top goal scorer,
  • 2019 Pulsar Sports Award woman's Player Of The year.[13]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Bhandari on course of becoming all-time best". kathmandupost.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Nepal's all-time top scorer Sabitra Bhandari 'Samba' features in FIFA.com". The Himalayan Times. 2 June 2020. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  3. ^ Baniya, Sudesh (5 March 2024). "Feeding cattle to breaking barriers: Nepal goal machine Sabitra Bhandari". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Women's Tournament Best Forward". GoalNepal. 3 May 2016. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  5. ^ "सावित्रा र अनिता भारत प्रस्थान". deshsanchar.com. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  6. ^ "पहिलो पटक इन्डियन लिग खेल्न जाँदै सावित्रा र अनिता". deshsanchar.com. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  7. ^ "भारतमा सावित्रा र अनिता". baahrakhari.com. Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  8. ^ "SAG: Kamala Devi stars in India's title triumph". The Hindu. 15 February 2016. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Bhandari's goal ensures Nepal victory over Malaysia". The Himalayan Times. 17 December 2016. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  10. ^ "Sabitra inspired Nepal routs Bhutan". The All Nepal Football Association. 26 December 2016. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  11. ^ "Indian Women's League 2023: Gokulam Kerala thrash Kickstart FC 5–0 to win third consecutive title". sportstar.thehindu.com. Chennai: Sportstar. 21 May 2023. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  12. ^ "Gokulam Kerala steamroll Kickstart to complete hat-trick of Hero IWL titles". the-aiff.com. All India Football Federation. 21 May 2023. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  13. ^ "सावित्रालाई उत्कृष्ट महिला खेलाडी अवार्ड". Hamrokhelkud.com. Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.


Flag of NepalSoccer icon

This biographical article related to women's association football in Nepal is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sabitra_Bhandari&oldid=1220513711"