Gokulam Kerala rope in Indian international Dangmei Grace

She scored nine goals in 18 matches for the Indian football team in 2019 alone.

Gokulam Kerala have a very busy and important season coming up. While their men's team will defend the Durand Cup and I-League, the women’s team will do the same in the Indian Women’s League (IWL). They will also take part in the inaugural AFC Women’s Club Championship. And ahead of both competitions, the Malabarians have roped in Indian international Dangmei Grace, Khel Now can confirm.

“Dangmei Grace has joined Gokulam Kerala. She completed the signing formalities recently. An official announcement confirming the signing is also in the works,” sources close to the developments informed Khel Now. We also understand that she will represent the club in the AFC Women’s Club Championship first and the IWL later.

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About the player

Football entered Dangmei Grace's life by chance, as she herself has revealed in interviews. It all began when she played a game for her school during an annual sports day. The 25-year-old subsequently developed an interest and actively participated in training sessions since then.

In 2010, Grace got selected for the Manipur State U-14 team. From there, she quickly rose through the ranks, eventually earning her maiden India U-14, U-16 and Senior team call-up in the space of just another three years. Initially a defender who regularly played at right-back, the Manipuri footballer was converted to a striker by her coach Chaoba Devi. That change worked wonders, as Grace even scored in the SAFF Women's Championship 2016 final to help India lift the title. Overall, she has made 37 appearances and scored 14 goals for the Blue Tigresses till date. In 2019, AIFF adjudged her the 'Emerging Women's Footballer of the Year'.

Dangmei Grace began her club career with KRYPHSA FC, before moving to Sethu FC ahead of the 2018-19 IWL. She then scored a hat-trick in the semi-final and played a key role in the final as Sethu beat Manipur Police 3-1 to lift the title.

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The 25-year-old will now join the IWL defending champions Gokulam Kerala ahead of the forthcoming 2021-22 season.

Gokulam Kerala's pre-season preparations

So far, GKFC have managed to retain their key players including Manisha Kalyan, Michel Castanha, Karishma Shirvoikar and Sabitra Bhandari. As reported by Khel Now earlier, they have also signed other Indian internationals in Ritu Rani and Soumya Guguloth.

The Kozhikode-based outfit are currently gearing up to make a solid first impression in the AFC Women’s Club Championship 2021, which will happen in November.

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