Coach Crispin Looks To Light The 'Fire' As AFC Women's Asian Cup Race Heats Up
India and Thailand lead Group B in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers with six points each but ahead on goal difference. India face Iraq next, while Thailand play Mongolia.
AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers Group B has essentially become a two-horse race after Matchday 2. India and Thailand are both tied with six points, with the Blue Tigresses leading the table on goal difference.
Only the group winners will advance to Australia. The teams India has defeated so far – Timor-Leste (4-0) and Mongolia (13-0) – have been eliminated. Iraq, which lost 0-7 to Thailand, is on the verge of elimination. They must defeat India on July 2 to stay in contention. If Iraq fails, the match between India and Thailand on July 5 will serve as a direct play-off for qualification.
Until then, accumulating as many points and goals as possible is crucial. Currently, India boasts a +17 goal difference, while Thailand stands at +11.
On Wednesday, India will face Iraq in the afternoon, followed by Thailand's game against Mongolia in the evening.
After the win over Timor-Leste on Sunday, India coach Crispin Chettri expressed satisfaction with the three points but noted concerns about the team's slow start in the first half.
'Victory is always sweet, but I know we could have done better in the first half. We need to be more focused from the very start of the game, and not just play well in the second half. Overall, though, I'm happy with the result," he said.
Of India's 17 goals so far, 12 have been scored in the second half. Despite early goals in their matches (8th minute against Mongolia and 12th minute against Timor-Leste), the team has struggled to find its rhythm in the first 45 minutes.
'The sooner you score, the sooner you settle down. I think we're taking too long to settle. If you look at our first halves, we're not just missing chances, we're somewhat slower in our reactions and follow-ups. So, that's definitely something we need to work on," said Chettri.
How Can India Win The Group?
On a positive note, the substitutes have been effective. Lynda Kom Serto, Malavika P., and Priyadharshini Selladurai have all scored after coming off the bench. Chettri highlighted the fourth goal against Timor-Leste, crafted by substitutes Lynda and Grace Dangmei. Grace created the opportunity with a run past her marker, setting up Lynda for an easy finish. This marked Lynda's first official goal for India.
'We're always trying different combinations. Last time, we tried Grace and Pyari. This time, we went with Anju and Pyari at the start, and then again with Lynda and Grace in the second half. We need to be prepared for every situation. I think the substitutes did pretty well. Anju was coming back from injury, and she managed to play 80 minutes, so that's a good sign," said Chettri.
Manisha Kalyan also played her first match of the Qualifiers, scoring two goals. This was her first start for India since February, following a break after the season with Greek club PAOK.
'Manisha scored two beautiful goals," said Chettri. 'But I still think she can do better. She's coming back after a break. She had a long season in Europe. In Greece, she plays in a different role — as a full-back — and here she plays on the wing. She's still adjusting. But overall, I think she did quite well today."
After scoring her 12th and 13th goals for the national team, Manisha stated that scoring for the team boosts confidence for the remaining games. She affirmed their commitment to qualifying for the Asian Cup.
Despite India's successful run, the day was marred by an injury to Soumya Guguloth, the current AIFF Women's Player of the Year. She sustained a nasal bone fracture after a collision with Timor-Leste's Idalia Alves Belo and underwent successful surgery.
'Soumya is definitely a big loss. It's an unfortunate blow for everyone here. I wish she could be back as soon as possible. For now, I feel we do have enough bench strength to cope with her absence," said Chettri.
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