Shillong, Apr 9: Needing a win to progress to the next round of qualifiers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, India bowed out today after playing an exciting 3-3 draw with hosts Myanmar in Mandalay.
India had beaten Indonesia 2-0 in their first Group A match and it was 3-1 in their favour against Nepal in the second. However, Myanmar also beat these two teams – 3-1 vs Nepal and 6-0 vs Indonesia – which gave them a goal difference of +8 compared to India’s +4.
Today India twice took the lead, the first time via Sandhiya Ranganathan less than 10 minutes after the start of the match. However, Myanmar equalised in the 17th through Win Tun and then took the lead four minutes later; the latter goal saw India goalkeeper Linthoingambi Devi block a penalty kick, but Win Tun scored off the rebound.
Sanju Yadav then restored parity for India in the 32nd minute and Ratanbala Devi would go on to give India the lead once again in the 64th minute. India just couldn’t hold on to the lead, however, with Win Tun recording her hat-trick less than 10 minutes later.
The Indian women’s team is ranked 62, with Myanmar 20 places higher.
(Photo: Facebook/All India Football Federation)
