Mumbai, May 12: The Indian women’s football team’s journey in the Asian Cup concluded with a quarter-final defeat. On Monday, they faced a 0-3 loss against China, which dashed their hopes of qualifying for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Despite the setback, head coach Pamela Conti expressed pride in her team’s performance.
Coach Conti stated, “China was the better team. They had more strength and deserved the win. However, I was most disappointed that we conceded goals in the 45th and 90th minutes. I had reminded the players to stay focused during the last minutes of each half, as concentration tends to wane at that time.”
Despite the loss, Conti praised the Indian team. She remarked, “We should be proud of these players. Personally, I take great pride in this tournament. We played against three of the four semi-finalists, including China. The experience from this tournament has been truly beautiful for me.”
She added, “After the match, I told them that they now understand the level of play in Asia and what it takes to compete here. They must continue to work hard because hard work is the only path to success.”
Conti emphasized that the young team would have opportunities to play against Asia’s best teams every year. “This is a very young team, and they have a lot to offer. The most important thing is that they now comprehend the level of play here,” she noted.
According to center-back player Abhista Basnet, “It’s hard for me to speak. We didn’t expect this result. We entered the match with a different mindset, but sometimes things happen this way. I am proud of how we performed throughout the tournament and the unity we showed as a team. It’s unfortunate that we were just one step away from our dream, but I genuinely take pride in our performance.”
Fifteen-year-old Abhista remarked, “This is a significant achievement. After many years, we became the first team to reach the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup. We have worked hard together for a long time. Our bond has become like family. Now, we eagerly await our next journey and hope to perform even better.”
Abhista also shared, “We have been like a family and a close-knit group of friends. We have shared many good moments together. We have been together for over a year, participating in the SAFF tournament, friendly matches, and this Asian Cup. We learned a lot playing against teams like Japan, Australia, and China. This learning will be valuable in the future. Saying goodbye to each other will be tough, but this is not the end. We will continue to work hard to turn our dreams into reality.”
India returned to the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup after a 21-year hiatus. The team secured their quarter-final spot by defeating Lebanon 4-0 in their final group match. They were just one win away from realizing their dream of playing in the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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