India’s campaign at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup came to an end after the Blue Tigresses suffered a 3–1 defeat to Chinese Taipei in their final Group C fixture at the Western Sydney Stadium in Sydney on Tuesday.
Despite a spirited display and a stunning equaliser from Manisha Kalyan, defensive lapses and a late counterattack proved costly as India exited the tournament at the group stage. Chinese Taipei led 2–1 at halftime before sealing the result in the second half, leaving India without a point from their three group matches.
India entered the match knowing the equation was clear: they needed a victory while scoring at least two goals to keep their hopes of qualification alive. Head coach Amelia Valverde made two changes to the starting lineup, bringing in Shilky Devi Hemam and Nirmala Devi Phanjoubam as the Blue Tigresses looked to add more energy in midfield.
The Indian side started the match with intensity. In just the second minute, a corner from Manisha Kalyan almost produced the breakthrough. Soumya Guguloth’s header forced a save from the Chinese Taipei goalkeeper, while Pyari Xaxa attempted to capitalise on the rebound before the defence managed to clear the danger.
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Chinese Taipei responded quickly with a chance of their own. Chen Jin-wen found space inside the Indian penalty area and fired a shot that narrowly missed the far post, signalling the attacking intent of the Mulan. India also created another promising opportunity when Nirmala Devi threaded a pass to Manisha, who released Soumya through on goal, but the forward dragged her shot inches wide.
Defensive Error Hands Chinese Taipei the Lead
Despite the positive start, India were undone by a defensive mistake in the 12th minute. A misjudged clearance by Martina Thokchom allowed the ball to fall to Chen Jin-wen on the right flank. Sanju Yadav intercepted but her attempted back-pass lacked power and fell straight back into Chen’s path.
Chen quickly squared the ball to Su Yu-hsuan, who calmly tapped it into an empty net to give Chinese Taipei a 1–0 lead. India now needed to score twice to keep their qualification hopes alive, but the team continued to press forward. In the 26th minute, Pyari Xaxa delivered a cross into the box that saw Sanfida Nongrum charging toward the near post, only for the Indian forward to collide with the opposition goalkeeper.
Manisha Kalyan Produces a Moment of Magic
India eventually found their equaliser in the 39th minute through a moment of brilliance from Manisha Kalyan.
After Soumya Guguloth was fouled outside the penalty area, India were awarded a free kick around 25 yards from goal. Manisha stepped up and unleashed a powerful strike that crashed off the underside of the crossbar. Initially the ball appeared to bounce out, but after a VAR review, the referee awarded the goal as the ball had crossed the line.
The spectacular strike brought India level at 1–1 and briefly revived hopes of a comeback. Just when India seemed to be gaining momentum, Chinese Taipei regained the lead in first-half stoppage time. Goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu Elangbam, who had been one of India’s standout performers throughout the tournament, made a courageous save moments earlier when a powerful effort struck her in the face.
However, disaster struck shortly afterward when Chinese Taipei were awarded a penalty. Hsu Yi-yun’s spot kick hit the post, but the rebound deflected off Panthoi’s back and rolled into the net, giving Chinese Taipei a 2–1 advantage heading into halftime.
India Push Forward in the Second Half
India began the second half with renewed urgency, with Rimpa Haldar replacing Soumya Guguloth in an attempt to strengthen the attack. Manisha Kalyan continued to be India’s biggest threat, cutting in from the right wing and unleashing a shot that sailed just wide of the goal.
At the other end, India’s defence was forced to remain alert. Captain Sweety Devi Ngangbam produced a crucial block to deny Su Yu-hsuan, while Panthoi made another excellent save to stop a one-on-one opportunity. India’s push for another equaliser eventually left gaps in defence, and Chinese Taipei capitalised in the 77th minute.
Hsu Yi-yun released Chen Yu-ting with a perfectly timed through ball behind the Indian defence. Chen rounded Panthoi before calmly finishing into an empty net to extend the lead to 3–1. The incident also resulted in a worrying collision between Panthoi and Sweety Devi as the goalkeeper rushed out to challenge the attacker. Both players had to be stretchered off the field following the clash.
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India continued to fight in the closing stages and came close to pulling one back on multiple occasions.
In the 86th minute, Sanfida Nongrum attempted a volley that was blocked by Teng Pei-lin. Manisha Kalyan also tested substitute goalkeeper Chen Ssu-yu with a deflected free kick in the 89th minute. In stoppage time, Manisha again came close when she rose to meet a corner from Kaviya Pakkirisamy, only to see her header crash against the post.
Despite the late pressure, Chinese Taipei held firm to secure the victory.
The defeat confirmed India’s exit from the tournament, ending a challenging campaign for the Blue Tigresses. While the results did not go their way, the team showed moments of promise, particularly through Manisha Kalyan’s attacking influence and Panthoi Chanu’s impressive performances in goal. For India, the Asian Cup experience offers valuable lessons as they continue to rebuild and aim to close the gap with Asia’s stronger footballing nations.
Though the campaign ended in disappointment, the Blue Tigresses will look to regroup and come back stronger in the next phase of their international journey.
