AFC Women's Asian Cup: India lost 1-2 to Vietnam in opener-Highlights
Catch all the highlights from the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia.
India Women to begin its campaign at AFC Asian Cup 2026. (Photo Credits: AIFF)
The Indian women's team began its campaign at the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup with the opening fixture against Vietnam in Perth, Australia, on Wednesday.
But it wasn't a good start for the team as they conceded an injury-time winner from Vietnam, losing the match 1-2. Sanfida Nongrum scored the only goal for India.
India qualified for the AFC Women's Asian Cup after 23 years, placed in Group C alongside former world champion Japan, Vietnam and Chinese Taipei.
Asian Cup is also a qualifier for the next year's FIFA Women's World Cup, with 6 direct available quotas and the two spots for Inter-Continental Play-offs.
As it happened:
India faced a heartbreaking defeat in injury time at its opening game of the 2026 AFC Asian Cup to Vietnam, but looked promising on the return to the continental c'ships after 23 years.
Do tune in to TheBridge for India's second game of the tournament on 7th March against Japan.
India bounced back strongly in the second half, looking much more solid at the back, and the two substitutes in the forward line made the Indian attack a bit sharper.
Sanfida Nongrum, Meghalaya's first-ever Indian women's national team, scored the equaliser for India in the 51st minute, and since then, India led the second half for the major portion.
However, a brilliant pass on a counter diagonal switch from Vietnam caught the Indian defence off guard, and conceded its second goal, ending the match as the second best.
Not a good start to the campiagn but the team will be hoping to bounce back strongly in the coming matches.
India 1-2 Vietnam
Indian defence once again made an error and let Thi Hoa make a sharp run from the left flank nd find an accurate pass to Thi Van, who makes it a finish in between three Indian defenders.
India 1-1 Vietnam
Nirmala Devi conceded a poor interception in her own defence, but Sanfida showed her pace and redeemed the ball back with a clinical shoulder push over a Vietnamese forward.
India 1-1 Vietnam
A poor defensive error from Vietnam let Sanfida go unmarked in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and she found the back of the net despite the slight deflection from the goalkeeper's fingers.
Rimpa Haldar and Sanfida Nongrum subbed in for India at halftime
Vietnam dominated the first half with multiple speedy runs, not only from the wings but also from the centre, exposing India's defence and scoring the first goal.
India tried to make a few attacks for them also from the left wing, thanks to Manisha Kalyan, but hasn't been able to test the Vietnamese Goalkeeper.
India's goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu and the captain Sweety Devi looked the best two players in the first half, with Manisha Kalyan in attack, in whatever few chances she got.
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