AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers: India thrash Iraq for hat-trick of wins

India stayed well on course for a spot in the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 after an impressive 5-0 win against Iraq in their Qualifiers Group B tie in Chang Mai, Thailand, on Wednesday.

With wins against Mongolia and Timor-Leste already in the bag, India started confidently against an Iraq side, which was reeling from their 7-0 defeat to Thailand on Sunday.

In a commanding display, the Indian women's football team surged ahead in just 14 minutes when a precise corner from Manisha Kalyan found Sangita Basfore.

The midfielder expertly controlled the ball with her chest before unleashing a powerful strike into the net, giving India an early lead. India maintained their dominance throughout the first half, dictating the tempo of the match.

Their persistence paid off in the 44th minute when Manisha Kalyan struck again, this time with a curling left-footed shot from outside the penalty area. The ball slipped through the hands of Iraq's goalkeeper, Khalat Alzebari, and nestled into the net, doubling India’s advantage.

The second half began with India showing no signs of slowing down. Just two minutes after the restart, Karthika Angamuthu unleashed a stunning long-range effort from outside the box, finding the back of the net to make it 3-0 and further solidifying India’s control.

With goal difference likely to play a crucial role in their quest to qualify for the Finals, India relentlessly pushed forward. In the 64th minute, defender Nirmala Devi added to the tally with another spectacular strike from distance, beating the goalkeeper and extending the lead to 4-0.

The final goal came in the 80th minute when substitute Ratanbala Devi sealed the victory. After her initial shot was blocked, she pounced on the rebound, smashing the ball into the roof of the net to complete a resounding 5-0 rout.