AFC Women’s Asian Cup: India suffer injury-time heartbreak against Vietnam

For nearly an hour on Wednesday night in Perth, the Indian women’s team showed exactly why this Asian Cup campaign carries so much hope.

For the final seconds, however, football reminded them how cruel tournaments can be.

An injury-time strike from Nguyen Thi Van Su condemned the Blue Tigresses to a 2–1 defeat against Vietnam in their opening Group C match of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 at the Perth Rectangular Stadium.

Van Su struck once in each half for Vietnam, while debutant Sanfida Nongrum marked her first appearance for India with a well-taken equaliser early in the second half.

If India remained in the contest for as long as they did, much of the credit belonged to Panthoi Chanu Elangbam.

The goalkeeper made several important interventions, including a sharp early stop from Nguyen Thi Van Su and a sprawling save to deny Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, keeping the Blue Tigresses alive during Vietnam’s dominant spell.

For long stretches, it felt like a point was within reach. Instead, the match ended with Vietnam celebrating in the corner and India standing still in disbelief.

Vietnam entered the match as the more experienced side at this level and controlled much of the early possession. India, meanwhile, began cautiously, sitting deep and looking to break forward when opportunities appeared.

Goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu Elangbam was called into action early, producing a sharp save to deny Van Su.

India’s first meaningful chance arrived in the eighth minute. Grace Dangmei controlled a high ball with her chest and laid it off for Sangita Basfore, who struck a half-volley with time and space. The effort, however, was straight at Vietnamese goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh.

Vietnam continued to probe and came close in the 14th minute when Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy capitalised on a mispass from Sangita and struck the crossbar from outside the area.

Panthoi remained India’s most reliable presence during a dominant Vietnamese spell, notably making a sprawling save at the near post in the 27th minute to keep Bich Thuy out.

Three minutes later, however, the resistance broke.

Van Su ran onto a forward pass from Thai Thi Thao and curled a precise effort from just inside the box into the far corner, giving Vietnam the lead.

Valverde’s changes turn the tide

India attempted to stretch play with longer passes into wide areas toward Grace Dangmei and Manisha Kalyan but struggled to establish sustained possession in the first half.

Head coach Amelia Valverde responded with two changes at the break, introducing Sanfida Nongrum and Rimpa Haldar in place of Grace Dangmei and Soumya Guguloth.

The adjustments produced an immediate impact.

Vietnam thought they had doubled their advantage in the 49th minute when Thai Thi Thao finished from close range during a scramble in the Indian box, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR review for offside.

Moments later, India found their equaliser.

Rimpa drove forward down the left flank before losing possession inside the penalty area. The equaliser came through debutant Sanfida Nongrum, who etched her name into Indian football history.

With her appearance, the forward became the first woman from Meghalaya to represent the Indian senior national team, marking the milestone with a memorable goal on her debut.

The equaliser transformed the momentum of the contest.

India began pushing Vietnam deeper, playing with greater confidence and attacking intent. Rimpa delivered a dangerous cross shortly after the hour mark that Pyari Xaxa met with a header, only for Kim Thanh to produce a strong save.

Sanfida nearly doubled her tally minutes later when she rose to meet a Nirmala Devi cross, but her header drifted over the bar.

For the first time in the match, India looked the more threatening side.

Vietnam, however, gradually regained control and began creating opportunities from wide areas. Panthoi once again came to India’s rescue in the 76th minute, denying Van Su with another crucial save.

A game of 90 minutes

As the clock moved into stoppage time, India nearly snatched the winner themselves.

In the second minute of added time, Manisha Kalyan attempted a long-range free-kick that forced Kim Thanh into a parry. Substitute Kaviya Pakkirisamy raced toward the rebound, but the Vietnamese goalkeeper recovered just in time to claim the ball.

Two minutes later, the decisive moment arrived.

Substitute Vi Thi Hoa cut the ball back into the box, where Van Su arrived unmarked and slotted the finish past Panthoi to complete her brace and secure victory for Vietnam.

After 90 minutes of resilience and a spirited second-half response, India were left with nothing.

The defeat places immediate pressure on India in a demanding Group C that also includes Japan and Chinese Taipei.

Yet the performance, particularly after half-time, offered glimpses of the fight and belief that have defined this generation of players.

For Sanfida Nongrum, it was a debut marked by a goal. For Panthoi, it was another night of crucial saves.

For the Blue Tigresses, however, it ended with the painful reminder that at tournaments like this, the smallest margins often decide everything.

India: Panthoi Chanu Elangbam (GK), Sweety Devi Ngangbam (C), Shilky Devi Hemam, Sangita Basfore, Soumya Guguloth (Rimpa Haldar 46’), Sanju Yadav, Pyari Xaxa (Kaviya Pakkirisamy 79’), Grace Dangmei (Sanfida Nongrum 46’), Nirmala Devi Phanjoubam, Martina Thokchom, Manisha Kalyan (Lynda Kom Serto 90+2’).