Indian Women's Football Team Endures Disappointing 1-0 Loss Against Uzbekistan In Friendly

News18

2 days ago

The senior Indian women's national team endured another narrow defeat against Uzbekistan, losing 0-1 in the second of two FIFA Women's International Friendlies at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence on Tuesday.
Despite a more spirited performance, the Blue Tigresses were undone by a moment of brilliance from Nilufar Kudratova early in the second half.
Following their 0-1 loss in the first friendly, Tuesday's match offered hope for redemption. India showed marked improvement in their intensity and intent, but the scoreline, unfortunately, remained the same.
India approached the match with renewed determination and tactical discipline. Unlike the first fixture, where the team appeared cautious and struggled in transition, the hosts played more aggressively, pressing higher up the pitch and trying to take control.
The defense, led by Thokchom Martina and her backline partners, worked hard to contain Uzbekistan's pacey attack. Their positioning and communication were much sharper, and when the backline was breached, goalkeeper Payal Basude stood tall. She made several crucial saves in the first half, most notably after Nozimakhon Ergasheva hit the crossbar with a powerful strike in the 11th minute.
In midfield, India looked more cohesive, with players using the width of the pitch to stretch the Uzbek defense. Sangita Basfore helped build attacks from deep, while fullback Ranjana Chanu injected pace and creativity.
India's best chance came in the 21st minute. Ranjana sent in a dangerous cross from the right, which Pyari Xaxa met with a strong header at the far post. The Uzbekistan keeper made a reflex save, and although the rebound fell kindly to Sangita, she failed to direct her shot on target.
That missed opportunity would come back to haunt India. Just four minutes into the second half, Uzbekistan struck. Kudratova picked up the ball on the edge of the box, skipped past two defenders with elegant footwork, and unleashed a fierce left-footed strike that flew past Payal Basude into the top corner. It was a goal worthy of winning any match.
The setback momentarily unsettled the Blue Tigresses, but they regrouped and pushed forward again. Soumya Guguloth and Pyari Xaxa continued to test the Uzbekistan defense, while substitutes brought fresh energy. However, despite several promising moves, the final pass or shot often lacked the sharpness needed to level the score.
In the end, India fell short, but the performance was anything but disheartening. The Blue Tigresses displayed resilience, tactical awareness, and attacking hunger, qualities they had been criticized for lacking in the previous outing.