All posts tagged: Indian women football

Young Tigresses enter AFC U17 quarter-finals

Young Tigresses enter AFC U17 quarter-finals

Published by Webster

Beneath the lights of Suzhou, a generation of Indian footballers carved their names into history. With fearless attacking football, relentless energy and a maturity far beyond their years, India’s Young Tigresses stormed into the quarter-finals of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026 after a commanding 4-0 victory over Lebanon in their final Group B fixture at the Suzhou Taihu Football Sports Centre Pitch 8 on Friday. For a team that arrived at the tournament carrying the weight of two decades without a win or even a goal in the competition, this was not merely a victory. It was a breakthrough. Pritika Barman led the charge with a brilliant brace, while Alva Devi Senjam and Joya added goals of their own as India recorded their first victory and first goals at the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup since 2005. More significantly, it sealed India’s first-ever qualification to the knockout stage of the tournament. It also marked India’s first appearance in the knockout stage of any AFC competition since the men’s AFC U16 Championship in …

India go down 0-2 to Australia in AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup opener

India go down 0-2 to Australia in AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup opener

Published by Webster

India’s U17 women’s team marked their return to continental competition after 21 years with a 0-2 defeat against Australia in their opening Group B match of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in Suzhou on Saturday. Despite the result, the Young Tigresses, coached by Pamela Conti, displayed defensive organisation and attacking intent against a physically strong Australian side. Australia dominated possession early and broke the deadlock in the 25th minute through Theodora Mouithys. India’s defence remained compact under pressure, with goalkeeper Munni making several key interventions, while defender Divyani Linda stood out with timely interceptions. India show attacking promise despite setback India responded positively after conceding, looking to build through the flanks with Alva Devi Senjam and Pritika Barman involved in forward movements. However, clear scoring opportunities remained limited against Australia’s structured defence. The second goal came in the 59th minute when an attempted clearance by Abhista Basnett resulted in an own goal, doubling Australia’s lead. India continued to press forward, with captain Julan Nongmaithem testing the goalkeeper and Redima Devi Chingkhamayum forcing another …

Sulanjana Raul’s fight to belong on Asian Football’s toughest stage

Sulanjana Raul’s fight to belong on Asian Football’s toughest stage

Published by Webster

There are footballers who arrive with a plan. And then there are those who arrive with nothing but instinct and a stubborn refusal to disappear. Sulanjana Raul belongs to the latter. “I didn’t know how to survive,” she says, almost matter-of-factly, when she talks about her early days in Kolkata. “I had to face many problems… how to survive,” says the 18-year-old. The city that has built and broken footballers in equal measure did not welcome her with open arms. It demanded something first, resilience, adaptability, silence when words failed. She doesn’t dress it up. There is no attempt to romanticise the struggle. Just a quiet admission of what it takes to move, from a village in West Bengal, from fields where she played without expectation, into a system that demands clarity, confidence, and belonging. “In the beginning, I didn’t have any plan to play football,” she told The Bridge in an exclusive conversation. “But my father used to play… I would go with him, watch him, run alongside him. Slowly, I started liking it.” …

India suffer 0-5 defeat to Australia, face must-win clash in AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup

India suffer 0-5 defeat to Australia, face must-win clash in AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup

Published by Webster

India’s U20 women’s team suffered a heavy 0-5 defeat against Australia in their second Group C match of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 at the Pathum Thani Stadium in Thailand on Sunday. Australia took control of the contest through a hat-trick from Skye Halmarick, who scored in the 38th minute from the penalty spot, followed by quick strikes in the 39th and 48th minutes. Danella Butrus added a fourth goal in the 54th minute, while Daisy Brown completed the scoring in stoppage time. The result leaves India at the bottom of Group C with no points from two matches. However, a win against Chinese Taipei in their final group fixture could still keep their qualification hopes alive. India began the match on a positive note, creating early chances on the counter. Sulanjana Raul made an impact down the left flank in the opening minutes, delivering a low cross for Sibani Devi Nongmeikapam, though the move did not result in a shot on target. Anju Chanu Kayenpaibam also attempted to create from set-pieces but …

All you need to know about India’s U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 campaign

All you need to know about India’s U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 campaign

Published by Webster

The moment India’s U20 women’s team have been building towards is finally here. On Thursday evening in Pathum Thani, the Young Tigresses will step onto the pitch at the Thammasat Stadium to face Japan in their opening match of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Thailand 2026, marking their return to the tournament after a 20-year absence. Kick-off is scheduled for 18:30 IST, with the match streamed live on FanCode. But beyond the occasion, this is a test of everything this group has worked towards over the past few months. Built for this stage India arrives in Thailand not as a team hoping to make up the numbers, but as one that has been carefully prepared for this level. Since the qualifiers in Myanmar, the squad has spent months together, training camps, international friendlies, and exposure tours all feeding into a clearer identity. The emphasis has been on improving structure, decision-making, and the ability to handle high-tempo opposition. Head coach Joakim Alexandersson believes that work has translated into visible progress. “I’m confident that the whole …

Shubhangi Singh out to silence the crowd yet again

Shubhangi Singh out to silence the crowd yet again

Published by Webster

“It’s always nice to silence an away crowd.” Shubhangi Singh didn’t smile when she said it. Not in the clip that did the rounds after India sealed their AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup qualification. Not when she recalls it now. It wasn’t arrogance then. It was just a young captain, standing in a stadium that refused to hear her voice, let alone believe in her team. “We couldn’t even hear each other,” Shubhangi told The Bridge on a video call from Thailand where the U-20 team will take part in the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup. “From start to end, they were cheering for them,” she further recalled off the 10,000 odd spectators in stands cheering for Myanmar. And India? They didn’t have the luxury of easing into the game. “Even if we draw the match, we couldn’t qualify. So we didn’t have any other option.” That is the part she returns to often, not the line, not the confidence, but the situation. A young team, already rattled by a draw against Indonesia, suddenly staring …

India name 23-member squad for AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026

India name 23-member squad for AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026

Published by Webster

India have announced a 23-member squad for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Thailand 2026, marking the team’s return to the continental tournament after two decades. Head coach Joakim Alexandersson finalised the squad ahead of the competition, with the Young Tigresses set to begin their campaign on April 2 against Japan at the Thammasat Stadium. India will then face Australia on April 5 and Chinese Taipei on April 8 in their remaining group matches. The team arrived in Bangkok on March 20 and has undergone nearly two weeks of acclimatisation and preparation. A preliminary travelling group of 24 players was reduced to 23, with defender Alka Indwar missing out on the final selection. India’s build-up to the tournament began with a training camp in Bengaluru earlier this year following the Indian Women’s League season. The squad later travelled to Sweden for a month-long exposure tour, where they played five friendly matches against senior club sides. After returning to India, the team continued preparations in Kolkata before departing for Thailand. The tournament format allows the top …

AIFF’s favourite formation: Hire-fire-repeat

AIFF’s favourite formation: Hire-fire-repeat

Published by Webster

There is a certain efficiency to how the All India Football Federation functions. Decisions are made quickly, reversed even quicker, and explained with a level of confidence that almost makes you forget the results on the pitch. Because while the boardroom thrives in abstraction, the scoreboard tends to be less forgiving. And India’s campaign at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 offered exactly that, clarity. Three matches, three defeats, 0 points. Two goals scored, sixteen conceded. A narrow 1-2 loss to Vietnam that hinted at promise, a 0-11 defeat to eventual champions Japan that exposed the gulf, and an 1-3 loss to Chinese Taipei that ended whatever faint hopes remained. Yet, if you follow the logic emerging from the federation, the problem appears to be something far more specific: Amelia Valverde. The AIFF has decided not to extend the contract of head coach Valverde following India’s winless campaign at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. The foreign coach experiment When Amelia Valverde was appointed in January 2026, the messaging was clear. India needed international expertise for …

I was told to stop playing Football and get married

I was told to stop playing Football and get married

Published by Webster

In my village, when a girl crosses 18, people don’t ask what she wants to become. They ask when she will get married. By the time I reached that age, I had already played senior nationals, junior tournaments, and represented my state. Still, I was told to stop. I was told I had grown up. I was told football was enough now. But football had only just begun for me. I first started liking the game when I was in the fifth standard. After school, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I would stand on the sidelines and watch my seniors play till 5:30 in the evening. I didn’t even play then, I just watched. When I was in sixth standard, the coach told me I was too short to play football and asked me to try kho-kho and athletics instead. So I did. I played kho-kho, and when there were no other players left, I moved fully into athletics. I ran the 100m and 400m, won medals, and even competed at the state level. That’s …

‘You’ll get time to live normal life… (right now) just go mad’

‘You’ll get time to live normal life… (right now) just go mad’

Published by Webster

The Indian women’s football team, currently preparing for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers, had a special visitor in the form of Sunil Chhetri to boost their morale. Currently playing for the Indian men’s football team after reversing his decision to retire from international football, Sunil Chhetri gave a rousing speech to the Blue Tigresses. In the sattar-minute-esque speech, Chhetri urged the players to “go crazy” in their pursuit to keep playing football at the top level. “Kal main athra saal ka tha (Yesterday, I was 18 years old!) Today, I’m 41! Your coach (Crispin Chhetri) and I were in same team once. The reason I am saying this is to tell you that time flies. Fast! If you really want it bad, take all the margins. There will be no difference between sleeping at 10 pm and sleeping at 10.45 pm in one night. But do this for a year, and you see the difference. If you eat a samosa one day, won’t make too much of a difference. But don’t eat it …