India’s U-17 women’s national football team is now one step away from a historic U-17 Asian Cup women’s quarter-final after beating Lebanon’s U-17 women’s national football team 4-0 in Suzhou on Friday. The win not only kept India alive in the knockout race but also moved them closer to an unprecedented dream of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Coming into the final game of the group stage, the equation was simple for India. Beat Lebanon and hope the goal difference game in Group C goes in their favour. Pamela Conti’s party has done its job emphatically.
Pritika Barman played with a brace while Alva Devi Senjam and Joya added a goal each as the Young Blue Tigresses produced their most complete performance of the tournament.
And suddenly, after losses against continental heavyweights Australia Under-17 Women’s National Football Team and Japan Women’s Under-17 National Football Team earlier in the group stage, India’s campaign is very different.
India played with much more attacking freedom against a side closer to their own level and the difference was immediately evident. Having spent much of the first two games defending in depth, the girls suddenly looked confident, carrying the ball forward, pushing higher and taking control of the match.
The result leaves India on goal difference of -1, significantly improving their position compared to the Philippines (-13) and Chinese Taipei (-14), who will face each other later on Friday.
For the country playing its first AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup in 21 years, the possibility of reaching the last eight now seems very real.
HOW CAN INDIA QUALIFY FOR ASIA CUP QUARTERFINALS?
India’s dominant win over Lebanon left them in a very strong position to qualify for the quarter-finals as one of the top two third-placed teams.
The young Blue Tigresses significantly improved their goal difference to -1 with the 4-0 victory, which now puts them comfortably ahead of Group C’s Philippines (-13) and Chinese Taipei (-14). This result makes the qualifying equation much easier and they head to the final of Group C.
India qualify for the quarter-finals if:
- Philippines and Chinese Taipei fail to win by 12 or more goals in their last Group C match
- India remain third on the goal difference between the teams
- Their current goal difference of -1 has not been surpassed by any other Group C side
If qualification is confirmed, Pamela Conti’s side will face China’s U17 women’s national football team in the quarter-finals on May 11.
For this group of players, it would already be one of the biggest moments in the history of Indian women’s youth football.
CAN INDIA QUALIFY FOR U17 WORLD CUP?
Yes. India’s World Cup dream is also still alive.
The AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup also acts as a qualifier for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
If India officially qualify for the quarter-finals, they will move a step closer to securing a place in the World Cup. Progressing to the semi-finals of the Asian Cup would guarantee qualification for the FIFA tournament.
This means that if India beat China in a potential quarter-final clash, they would qualify for the U-17 Women’s World Cup for the first time ever on merit.
And honestly, even being so close says a lot about how quickly this group has grown.
Indian women’s football across the senior, U20 and U17 levels has shown signs of progress over the past year, but the U17s now have a chance to achieve something no Indian team at this level has done before.
For now, though, the waiting game begins.
But after Friday’s performance, India gave themselves a real shot at history.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
08 May 2026 16:38 IST
