Indian women's goalkeeper, Aditi Chauhan, who only last year became the first Indian to play for a professional club in England made her return to the West Ham Ladies side last night and saved three penalties to ensure her side walked away with a victory.
The Asian Women's Footballer of the Year 2015 was sent back from London after her student visa expired but good samaritans at Loubourough University – where she was studying – gave her a part-time job which offered her the chance to fight for a visa – given England's rules of not allowing students to represent a club in the top two tiers.
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And on her return to the West Ham Ladies side, Chauhan managed to save three penalties against Swindon Town in the FA Women's Premier League Plate on Sunday. The Londoners went down to a goal in the opening 10 minutes but a late equaliser gave them the chance to take the game to penalties.
With Swindon winning the toss to go first in the shootout, Chauhan stepped up and saved the first effort on goal.
West Ham scored their first penalty before Swindon equalised again. West Ham then went 2-1 up before Chauhan pulled off another stunning save to keep her side in the lead.
Swindon then equalised to make it 2-2 before West Ham missed their first penalty of the night throwing the game open for either side to clinch it. But up stepped Aditi again to save her third penalty of the night before West Ham made it 3-2 to win the game.
The 24-year-old Chauhan has been breaking records ever since going to England and looks set to become the first-choice keeper for the West Ham Ladies given her improvement in every game. Her involvement and training in England is great news for India and Indian girls who could now seriously consider a career on women's football.
