Iran beats India 2-0 in friendly match!

Iran beats India 2-0 in friendly match!

Yesterday an exciting duel took place between Iran and India as part of the international friendly games. The Iranian women's football team managed to win the game 2-0 and continued their run. The first goal came in the 64th minute through Sara Didar, who converted a precise cross from Melika Motevaliitaher. After Zahra Ghanbari headed the ball onto the crossbar, Didar was there and scored the first goal, unmarked and quickly there.

Didar scored the second goal in the 74th minute. A defensive mistake by Nongmaithem Ratanbala Devi made it 2-0. It was a near-perfect performance for the Iranian team, who were supported by their goalkeeper Raha Yazdani, whose first real test came in the 89th minute. Here she was able to fend off a free kick from Lynda Kom Serto. For India, the defeat was their first after a four-game winning streak that saw them beat the likes of Mongolia (13-0) and Timor-Leste (4-0) to qualify for the AFC Women's Asian Cup.

Iran qualifies for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup

This match was not only a friendly match but also a test for India's preparation for the upcoming AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 in Australia. Iran qualified early for the tournament with a 2-1 win over Jordan in Group A last Saturday. This marks their second consecutive participation in this important event.

Australia, the tournament's host country, automatically qualified. China, South Korea and Japan will also be there after taking top spots in the last edition in 2022. Additionally, India, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam and the Philippines secured their places by winning their respective groups. Uzbekistan's return after 23 years is particularly exciting, while North Korea is also fighting for the title and last took part in 2010. Bangladesh will be newcomers and will be playing their first tournament.

AFC Women’s Asian Cup outlook

The draw for the tournament will take place on July 29th in Sydney and the big event will be held from March 1st to 21st in several cities across Australia such as Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast. For the Iranian team, these international matches are an excellent springboard to prepare for the challenges ahead and the win against India is a clear sign of their progress.

India will now play Nepal on Monday hoping to quickly redeem themselves after this defeat. The upcoming matches are crucial for both teams to best prepare for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

For those readers who are knowledgeable about statistics, the FBref platform is a comprehensive source of data on women's football. There you will also find a lot of details about international tournaments and the respective performance data of the teams.

With the increasing popularity of women's football in Asia, both Iran and India face exciting challenges that could ultimately take them to the next level. It remains to be seen how the teams will develop and what surprises await on the way to the Asian Cup.

For further information on the Games, please visit Olympics.com or ESPN and FBref.