Blue Tigresses face Thailand in AFC Cup decider

India and Thailand are level on all metrics in Group B of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers, with a shootout possible if their July 5 clash ends in a draw

Hyderabad: The race to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in Group B could not be tighter. After three matches each, India and Thailand are dead level on points, goal difference, and goals scored. It will be winner-takes-all when the Blue Tigresses and Chabakaew meet on July 5.

What if it ends in a draw? The match will head straight to penalties after 90 minutes. It’s uncommon to see a shootout in a group stage, but that’s how close India and Thailand have been — kicks from 12 yards could be the only way to decide the ticket to Australia if neither team can outscore the other on Saturday.

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India’s 5-0 win over Iraq on Wednesday meant Thailand had to score 12 against Mongolia to leapfrog the Blue Tigresses into top spot. The hosts managed an 11-0 win, scoring the 11th with the last kick of the game.

India coach Crispin Chettri had mentioned before the Iraq game that his side’s focus was to earn all three points and not worry about comparing goal tallies with Thailand. However, he felt that the Blue Tigresses deserved a bigger margin, which could’ve given them an advantage heading into the final game.

“It was another strong showing from the girls, and going into the final match with a perfect record gives us great confidence. However, we were disappointed about the two disallowed goals from Lynda, which were clearly onside with no infringements whatsoever.

The goals would’ve been a big motivational factor for a youngster like her before the Thailand match. Our victory margin could’ve been bigger, but we’ll keep our minds on the things we can control and focus on the last game,” said Chettri.

One youngster certainly high on confidence is Phanjoubam Nirmala Devi, who scored her first goal for India — and in some style — rifling the ball into the top corner from outside the box.

“I’m absolutely delighted to have scored my first goal for the country. It’s a very special moment for me. More importantly, we played really well today and got the result we wanted.

We’re preparing with full commitment and aim to perform even better against Thailand to take another step toward qualifying for the Asian Cup,” said the 22-year-old.

Midfielder Sangita Basfore, who has 68 caps, expressed her delight at youngsters delivering excellent performances in the qualifiers.