AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026: In what will be remembered as one of the toughest nights in the history of Indian women’s football, the “Blue Tigresses” were handed an 11–0 thrashing by world No. 8 Japan in their second Group C match of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 on Saturday, 7th March. Playing at the Perth Rectangular Stadium, the gap in quality between the two-time Asian champions and the 67th-ranked Indians was laid bare from the opening whistle to the final seconds.
The onslaught began as early as the 4th minute when Yuzuki Yamamoto cut inside from the right wing, dancing past a stagnant Indian defense before curling a sublime left-footed shot into the top corner. It was a sign of things to come. By the 20th minute, Japan had tripled their lead through captain Yui Hasegawa and Hinata Miyazawa, as they sliced through India’s low block with surgical precision.
India’s head coach Amelia Valverde had opted for a defensive 5-4-1 formation, but the strategy failed to provide any resistance. The Japanese “Nadeshiko” enjoyed nearly 80% possession, leaving Indian striker Manisha Kalyan completely isolated and the midfield unable to string more than two passes together. A late penalty converted by Kiko Seike just before the break sent India into the locker room trailing 5–0, a scoreline that would have been worse if not for a few brave reflex saves by goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu.
The introduction of Riko Ueki at halftime turned a difficult game into a catastrophe for India. Ueki scored with her very first touch in the 47th minute and completed a stunning hat-trick within just 18 minutes of entering the pitch. Japan’s movement was relentless; they scored six goals in the second half, with Hinata Miyazawa also completing her hat-trick in the 81st minute. Maya Hijikata and Kiko Seike added to the tally as the scoreline hit double digits, marking India’s heaviest defeat in over two decades.
The defeat leaves India at the bottom of Group C with zero points and a daunting -12 goal difference. However, due to the tournament format, a miracle is still technically possible. If India can manage a convincing victory over Chinese Taipei in their final group match on Tuesday, they could still potentially sneak into the quarter-finals as one of the best third-placed teams.
