India created history at the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup with a stunning 4-0 victory over Lebanon at the Suzhou Taihu Football Sports Centre in China on Friday. After more than two decades of struggle and relentless effort, the Young Blue Tigresses finally booked their place in the knockout stage of the tournament for the very first time. The memorable win also pushed India one step closer to a possible FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualification.
Historic night for Indian women’s football
With qualification hanging in the balance, India entered the match knowing it was a must-win encounter. Pamela Conti’s side showed attacking intent right from the opening whistle and took control early. Bengal’s rising star Pritika Barman opened the scoring in just the sixth minute after latching onto a pass from Divani Linda. She beat a defender brilliantly before firing a powerful left-footed strike into the net.
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India continued to dominate possession and create chances throughout the first half. Their pressure paid off again in the 35th minute when Alva Devi doubled the lead, giving India a comfortable 2-0 advantage before halftime.
World Cup dream moves closer
The second half followed a similar pattern, with India maintaining complete control over the contest. Substitute Joya produced a moment of brilliance in the 72nd minute, dribbling past two defenders before curling a stunning shot into the goal to make it 3-0. Pritika then completed her brace in the 85th minute, sealing a historic 4-0 triumph for the Indian side.
This achievement marks India’s first qualification to the knockout stage of any women’s Asian Cup tournament since the U-19 side reached that stage in 2004. It is also India’s first appearance in the quarter-finals of any AFC tournament since the men’s U-16 Championship in 2018.
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India will now face host China in the quarter-final on May 11. A victory there would secure a historic spot in the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco. The win over Lebanon has not only boosted confidence within the squad but has also sparked fresh hope for the future of Indian women’s football.
