The Indian women’s football team began their 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup campaign on Wednesday, facing a formidable Vietnam side at the Perth Rectangular Stadium. Ranked 67th in the world, the Blue Tigresses entered the match as underdogs against the 36th-ranked "Golden Star Warriors," in a fixture critical for their hopes of progressing from a challenging Group C that also includes heavyweights Japan and Chinese Taipei.
At half-time, Vietnam held a slender 1-0 lead over India. The breakthrough came in the 30th minute when Ngan Thi Van Su curled a clinical finish past Indian goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu, following a period of sustained pressure from the Vietnamese midfield.
India started the match with intent, showing flashes of creativity from Manisha Kalyan on the left wing and Sangita Basfore in the center. However, Vietnam’s tactical discipline and superior transition play began to dominate as the first half progressed. Bich Thuy struck the crossbar with a dipping long-range effort, and it was only through the combined efforts of Panthoi’s reflex saves and captain Sweety Devi’s last-ditch defending that India kept the deficit to one.
Current score (Half-Time): Vietnam 1-0 India (Ngan Thi Van Su 30').
Stakes: A top-two finish in the group guarantees a quarterfinal spot; the tournament also serves as a 2027 FIFA World Cup Qualifier.
New leadership: Sweety Devi captains the side in the absence of veteran Ashalata Devi.
Acclimatization: India arrived in Australia on February 11, spending three weeks preparing for the Perth conditions.
India finds itself in one of the tournament's "Groups of Death." To reach the 2027 FIFA World Cup, India must ideally finish in the top two of Group C or be one of the two best third-place teams. They then must win their quarterfinal match or navigate a complex continental playoff if they lose in the last eight.
New head coach Amelia Valverde, who took charge just two months before the tournament, has focused on maintaining continuity with the core squad. While India missed out on the volume of international friendlies originally promised by the AIFF, the lengthy preparatory camp in Turkey has provided a foundation for their defensive structure.
Facing the legendary Mai Duc Chung’s Vietnam, a team that featured in the 2023 World Cup, India has struggled to retain possession in the middle third. Valverde will likely look to the second half to introduce fresh legs and perhaps shift to a more direct approach to utilize the pace of Soumya Guguloth and Kalyan.
Regardless of the final result against Vietnam, India has little time to recover before facing the group favorites:
March 7: vs Japan (Perth Rectangular Stadium)
March 10: vs Chinese Taipei (Western Sydney Stadium)
A positive result today remains crucial to keeping the momentum alive before facing the sixth-ranked Japanese side.
