While Indian football fans have had little to cheer for over the past few months, there are now fresh reasons to feel optimistic on multiple fronts. Just days before the Indian Super League is about to finally kick off on February 14, after a period of uncertainty and administrative upheaval, a younger generation of women footballers have already delivered silverware on the international stage.
On February 7, India's under-17 women's team, competing in the SAFF U19 Women's Championship as part of their preparations for the upcoming AFC U17 Asian Cup, defied age and expectations to thrash Bangladesh U19 4-0 in the final at Pokhara, Nepal.
For Indian football, this was more than a regional win. Faced with older and physically stronger opponents, the Young Tigresses more than held their own and dominated the final with controlled possession and clear intent to keep their opponents under constant pressure.
Earlier in the round-robin stage of the tournament, India were beaten 2-0 by the same opponents, but that result did not faze them and rather spurred them on to set the record straight.
Captain Julan Nongmaithem set the ball rolling in the final just before the break as she arrived at the end of a well-worked team move. Alva Devi Senjam found Pritika Barman unmarked at the far post, Barman slid it back across goal where her captain was at hand to fire it into the net.
India doubled the advantage from the spot early in the second half as Alva was brought down by the keeper with Elizabed Lakra taking responsibility to fire home from the penalty spot. Pearl Fernandes, one of the breakout attackers of the tournament, added a third just five minutes later as she pounced on a defensive error to round the keeper and score her fifth goal of the tournament.
Substitute Anwita Raghuraman, completed the rout when she slotted home a sharp cut-back from Alva who was a constant threat with her relentless pace and accurate low crosses.
Beyond the result, the title run doubled as an early statement for India's recently appointed head coach, Pamela Conti. The Italian, brought in to shape a clear pathway from youth to senior level, had stressed before the final that the emphasis was on learning to play without fear. "We have seen improvement in every game, especially in our play and in how we position ourselves with the ball. Of course, we want to win because it is a final, but the most important thing is that the team gains confidence on the ball and does not fear playing.” Conti said speaking to The AIFF media on the eve of the decider.
The 2026 AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup, scheduled to be held in China from April 30 to May 17, will feature an expanded 12-team field, with the top four teams earning qualification for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. For Conti and her young squad, the SAFF triumph offers momentum, belief and a timely reminder that Indian women's football may be closer to a breakthrough than the broader narrative suggests.
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