The India U20 women’s national team continued their exposure tour in Europe with a hard-fought 1–1 draw against Swedish club Enskede IK Dam on the night of February 26 at the Bosön National Sports Centre in Lidingö, Sweden.
Facing their third opposition on the tour, the Young Tigresses delivered a composed performance across both halves, taking the lead late in the first half through Sibani Devi Nongmeikapam before conceding a late equaliser just two minutes from regulation time.
Head coach Joakim Alexandersson opted to rotate heavily, making eight changes to the starting eleven that had convincingly defeated Täby FK 4–0 in their previous outing. The adjustments were part of India’s broader developmental strategy during the Scandinavian training camp, which is being used to prepare the squad for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup scheduled to be held in Thailand later this year.
India began the contest in a structured defensive shape, looking to build from the back and transition quickly through midfield when in possession. The opening exchanges saw Enskede enjoy slightly more of the ball, but the Indian defence remained compact, denying clear-cut opportunities inside the penalty area.
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The breakthrough came just before the halftime whistle in the 44th minute. Sibani Devi Nongmeikapam capitalised on a well-worked attacking move, finishing clinically to give India a deserved 1–0 lead heading into the interval. The goal was a reward for India’s increasing attacking intent as the first half progressed, particularly through the wide areas where Sulanjana Raul and Babita Kumari were effective in stretching the opposition backline.
India carried the momentum into the second half, although Alexandersson made a series of substitutions around the hour mark to manage player workloads and offer match minutes to the extended squad. Remi Thokchom replaced Nishima Kumari, while Bhumika Devi Khumukcham and Neha came on for Anju Chanu Kayenpaibam and Sibani Devi Nongmeikapam respectively.
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Earlier, Deepika Pal had been introduced at the start of the second half in place of Babita Kumari, as India continued to shuffle their attacking combinations in search of a second goal.
The defensive unit, marshalled by Thoinbisana Chanu Toijam and Cindy Remruatpuii Colney, remained organised for much of the second period, limiting Enskede’s forward progress. Goalkeeper Monalisha Devi Moirangthem was called into action on a couple of occasions but responded confidently to maintain India’s slender advantage.
However, as the match entered its closing stages, sustained pressure from the Swedish side began to test India’s defensive resilience. Enskede eventually found the equaliser in the 88th minute, capitalising on a late attacking move to restore parity and deny India what would have been a second consecutive victory on tour.
Despite the late setback, the result marked a positive step for the Young Tigresses following their heavy 0–6 defeat to Hammarby IF earlier in the tour. The draw reflected improved defensive cohesion and better control in transitional phases, aspects that are critical as the team builds towards continental competition.
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India will now turn their attention to their final friendly fixture against Karlbergs BK on February 28. The match is expected to provide another opportunity for the coaching staff to assess squad depth and tactical flexibility ahead of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup.
With exposure to varied playing styles and competitive match environments, the ongoing European tour is aimed at strengthening match readiness and enhancing decision-making under pressure key components in India’s preparation for the challenges that lie ahead in Thailand later this year.
