Indian women football team endured a difficult start to their European training camp, going down 0–2 to Metalist 1925 Kharkiv in an international friendly played behind closed doors in Turkiye on Sunday.
While the scoreline suggests a competitive contest for much of the match, the overall performance raised serious concerns, particularly in defence, as India struggled to cope with sustained pressure and eventually paid the price in stoppage time.
For long stretches, India managed to keep the Ukrainian side at bay, conceding just once until the final moments. However, that resilience owed more to the opposition’s poor finishing and the heroics of goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu than to any defensive solidity. In truth, the visitors were under constant stress, unable to hold possession or build sustained attacks, and the cracks that were visible throughout finally widened late in the game.
The opening exchanges set the tone. Metalist 1925, despite showing early rustiness, quickly asserted technical superiority and pinned India back in their own half. The Ukrainians forced India into a low block almost immediately, testing Chanu inside the first ten minutes. India attempted to respond on the counter, looking to play early through balls down the flanks, but the moves rarely progressed beyond the halfway line.
As the first half wore on, the pressure increased. Metalist overloaded the Indian box with runners, probing from both flanks and forcing hurried clearances. Around the 25-minute mark, Molodiuk had a shot on target that Chanu dealt with comfortably, but it was clear that India were struggling to cope with the pace and movement of the home side.
The best chance of the half came for Metalist in the 35th minute. A sharp run down the left resulted in a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Ivanchenko’s effort was blocked, and Zaborovets failed to capitalise on the loose ball from close range. India eventually cleared the resulting corner, but the episode summed up a nervy defensive display that lacked organisation and composure.
India offered little going forward before the break. The visitors failed to register a meaningful attempt on goal, and Slavych in the Metalist goal remained largely untroubled. At half-time, the score remained 0–0, but it was a flattering reflection for India given the flow of the game.
Metalist made three changes at the interval and emerged with renewed intensity. The second half began much as the first had ended, with India unable to string together passes or retain possession for more than a few seconds. The Ukrainian side pressed aggressively, cutting off passing lanes and forcing errors in dangerous areas.
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The warning signs were clear in the 53rd minute when India once again failed to clear their lines. A left-footed curler from outside the box looked destined for the far corner before Chanu somehow managed to punch it behind. India were living dangerously, and the sense that a breakthrough was inevitable continued to grow.
The deadlock was finally broken on the hour. A handball inside the Indian box handed Metalist a penalty, and 19-year-old Lidila Zaborovets made no mistake from the spot. Chanu guessed the right way, but the shot was struck with too much power, giving the hosts a deserved 1–0 lead.
Rather than settling the contest, the goal briefly injected some urgency into India’s play. The visitors pushed slightly higher up the pitch and, in the 85th minute, created their best chance of the match. A long through ball was initially cut out by the Metalist defence, but the rebound fell to Pyari Xaxa, whose thunderous strike from nearly 30 yards forced Slavych into a full-stretch save, tipping the ball over the bar. It was a rare moment of attacking threat in an otherwise subdued display.
Any hopes of salvaging a result were extinguished in stoppage time. From a corner delivered from the left, substitute Lesia Olkhova was left completely unmarked at the near post. The defender poked the ball past a helpless Chanu to make it 2–0, a goal that epitomised India’s disorganisation at set pieces and defensive lapses throughout the match.
The final whistle confirmed a disappointing result and an unconvincing performance. While keeping a European club side to one goal for most of the match may appear respectable on paper, the reality was far less encouraging. India’s defence looked amateurish, the midfield struggled to cope with pressure, and attacking cohesion was largely absent.
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With several key players missing due to injury and club commitments, this friendly was always going to be a stern test. However, the manner of the defeat will concern the coaching staff as the team continues its European camp. There is clear work to be done in terms of structure, ball retention, and defensive organisation if India are to make meaningful progress from this outing.
For now, the result serves as a sobering reminder of the gap that remains and the intensity required to compete consistently at this level.
