India lose 2-1 to Vietnam in opener

The Indian football team suffered a late heartbreak and a 2-1 loss against Vietnam in its first AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Group C match at the Perth Rectangular Stadium in Australia on Wednesday.

Ngân Thi Van Su (30’, 90+4’) scored both of Vietnam’s goals, including a stoppage time winner, while Sanfida Nongrum (52’) registered on the scoresheet for India.

This was India’s first AFC Women’s Asian Cup main draw match since 2003.

India, 67th in the FIFA women’s football rankings, made a bright start against world No. 36 Vietnam and it was the Blue Tigresses who registered the first shot on target in the match.

Sangita Basfore tested Tran Thi Kim Thanh from outside the box in the eighth minute, but the Vietnamese goalkeeper was up to the task.

Vietnam, however, grew into the contest as the clock ticked down and imposed themselves on the match by taking control of the midfield.

Nguyen Thi Bích Thùy was inches from opening the scoring as her long-range curler had Indian goalie Panthoi Chanu beat but came off the crossbar in the 14th minute.

Chanu made a few vital saves in the following minutes as the Vietnamese attacks intensified.

Vietnam finally made their dominance count in the half-hour mark after Ngân Thi Van Su’s sweetly-struck instep nestled into the top corner as a diving Chanu looked on helplessly.

India had an opportunity to equalise in the 40th-minute mark, largely owing to a brilliant piece of footwork and a pass to match by Manisha Kalyan in midfield. However, Soumya Guguloth and Pyari Xaxa failed to make the most of the opening.

Vietnam also created a couple of chances to extend their lead, but the first-half ended with India trailing by a single goal.

Minutes into the restart, it seemed Thái Thi Thao had doubled Vietnam’s lead but the strike was eventually overturned by VAR on account of a handball during a melee in the six-yard box leading up to the goal.

The let-off gave India added impetus and it materialised into a goal with second-half substitute Sanfida Nongrum firing past the Vietnam goalkeeper after finding herself in space.

India continued to look like the more threatening of the two sides with Pyari Xaxa and Nongrum registering attempts at goal in the following minutes.

Nguyen Thi Bích Thùy skipped past a couple of Indian defenders in the 77th minute and had her sights set on goal but Chanu came out in time to narrow the angle and kept the scores level.

As the match entered its last phases, it was Vietnam who showed more initiative and bossed possession. India, however, remained resolute to defend the scoreline.

Their resolve, however, was undone four minutes into the seven of added time after Ngân Thi Van Su sneaked in her second of the night to break Indian hearts.

India will play world No. 8 Japan, the top-ranked team from the continent, in their next AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2027 match on Saturday.

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