Buoyed by a record-shattering 13-0 win over Mongolia, the Indian women’s football team will return to action on Sunday against Timor Leste, in what is expected to be a sterner challenge in their AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers campaign.
Despite the apparent gulf in rankings, India placed 70th and Timor Leste languishing at 158—the Blue Tigresses are approaching the tie with caution. Head coach Crispin Chettri has warned against complacency, having observed Timor Leste’s improved defensive structure and willingness to counter-attack.
"Timor Leste are a better organised team than Mongolia, and I feel they are better organised defensively than Iraq as well," Chettri said after watching all Group B teams in action. “They prefer going for counter-attacks. They don't mind keeping the ball either.”
Group B, comprising five teams, currently sees Iraq on top with four points, followed by India and Thailand—both on three points—after emphatic wins over Mongolia and Timor Leste, respectively. Thailand beat Timor Leste 4-0.
India, playing under Chettri’s watchful eye, will face Timor Leste for the first time in an official competition. Their opponents, coached by Indonesia’s Emral bin Bustamam, may lack pedigree—only one official win to their name, over Singapore in 2019—but have shown signs of resilience, most recently holding Iraq to a goalless draw.
That point, their first ever in an AFC competition, coupled with their relative proactivity in the international circuit, gives Timor Leste the tag of spirited underdogs.
Also read: India face Mongolia in AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifier
“They have got pace in their team as well,” Chettri remarked, noting their transitions from defence to attack. “In patches, they are good. But as Thailand dominated the match completely, we can't say much about their attack.”
With a five-day break since their opener, India focused on recovery and tactical refinement ahead of the congested schedule ahead, three matches in a week.
“I think when you have a tournament of four matches, this kind of rest helps in team building,” said Chettri. “Tactically, we worked on a few things which maybe we didn't do well in the first match.”
The Indian team trained twice on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, while Wednesday was set aside for complete rest, underlining the staff’s emphasis on mental and physical recuperation.
“For me, recovery and staying outside football for a certain time is important,” said Chettri. “When you are in a tournament with high pressure and playing back-to-back matches, sometimes getting out of the football zone, being yourself, and not thinking about the game is helpful.”
He believes the break will help the players refocus and perform with greater intent: “Players will come out more focused in the next day's training session. They will put in more effort, and I think that will help them cope mentally too.”
India’s next two matches will be against regional powerhouses Iraq and hosts Thailand, crucial games that will likely decide qualification. But for now, all eyes remain on Timor Leste.
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