India Poised for Historic AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup Qualification

Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) — The Indian U17 women’s football team stands on the verge of history, needing just one point to secure their first-ever qualification for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup on merit.

India will take on Uzbekistan in their final Group G qualifier at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek on Friday. A draw will be enough for the Blue Tigresses to seal their spot at the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026. The match will be streamed live on the Kyrgyz Sport TV YouTube channel.

“This is the match we’ve been preparing for all these months,” said captain Julan Nongmaithem, whose spectacular 90th-minute volley earned India a 2-1 victory over the Kyrgyz Republic in their opening fixture on Monday.

Reflecting on the hard-fought win, Julan added, “It was a tough start to the qualifiers, but we were relieved to finally get the win. That result gave us a great advantage heading into the final match.”

The 14-year-old captain dedicated her decisive goal to her late father, who passed away last year. “I know he’s watching from heaven,” she said emotionally after the match.

In the group’s second game, Kyrgyzstan defeated Uzbekistan 2-1, meaning India remain at the top of the three-team table due to their superior head-to-head record. A draw against Uzbekistan will guarantee them the top spot and a historic ticket to China next year.

Head coach Joakim Alexandersson, though pleased with the win, admitted that the performance left room for improvement. “We didn’t execute our plan perfectly,” he said. “Our build-up play was inconsistent for most of the match, but in the second half, we used the flanks better and created some strong attacking chances. The performance didn’t fully show our potential, but I think we deserved the three points.”

Alexandersson, who watched Uzbekistan’s first match from the stands, analyzed their style: “Kyrgyzstan were physically stronger and sharper, while Uzbekistan focused more on possession play. I expect a tough contest from them. They’ll want to bounce back, and we’ll need to be ready.”

Despite needing only a draw, the coach made it clear that India will not play defensively. “We’ll go for the win. Playing for a draw is always risky. We’ll stick to our style and focus on our strengths. Everything is in our hands,” he emphasized.

Just two months ago, Alexandersson guided the Indian U20 women’s team to the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup, ending a 20-year drought. Now, he stands on the brink of another milestone with the U17s. India last played in the AFC U17 Women’s Championship in 2005 when teams entered directly, but they have never qualified through the competitive route — until now.

“This achievement would be huge, not only for the U17 girls but for the entire ecosystem of women’s football in India,” Alexandersson said. “With the senior team qualifying for the 2026 Asian Cup and the U20s already there, reaching this level across all age groups would inspire countless young girls across India to take up this beautiful game.”

With inputs from IANS