AFC Women’s Asian Cup clash between India and Japan turned into a one-sided affair on Saturday, as the Blue Tigresses suffered a heavy 0–11 defeat in their second Group C match in Perth.
Japan, ranked among the top teams in world football and former global champions, dominated from the opening whistle and controlled possession for most of the match. India struggled to keep up with the pace and intensity, with the Japanese side spending large portions of the game attacking in the Indian half.
Japan Dominate From Start
Japan opened the scoring early when Yuzuki Yamamoto struck in the 4th minute. Captain Yui Hasegawa doubled the lead in the 13th minute, before Hinata Miyazawa added another in the 20th minute to put Japan firmly in control.
Miyazawa went on to score a hat-trick, finding the net again in the 35th and 81st minutes. Kiko Seike scored twice, while Riko Ueki also grabbed a hat-trick after coming on as a substitute in the second half. Maya Hijikata added another goal to complete the rout.
Despite the scoreline, India’s defence and goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu managed to prevent several more attempts, making multiple saves during the match.
Tough Situation In Group C
Following the defeat, India remain at the bottom of Group C with no points and a heavily negative goal difference. Earlier in the tournament, India had lost 1–2 to Vietnam in their opening match.
However, India’s chances of progressing are still mathematically alive. A strong result against Chinese Taipei in the final group match could keep their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals alive, though it will be a challenging task against the higher-ranked side.
Changes In India’s Line-Up
Head coach Amelia Valverde made three changes to the starting XI, handing opportunities to Juli Kishan and debutants Aveka Singh and Sarita Yumnam. Japan, meanwhile, rotated their squad heavily after their earlier 2–0 victory over Chinese Taipei, yet still proved far too strong with their speed, passing and attacking combinations.
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