AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers: India Eye Win, May Rotate Squad vs Iraq
India will look to maintain their winning momentum when they face Iraq in their third Group B match of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers on Wednesday, July 2. With six points and a +17 goal difference after dominant wins over Mongolia (13-0) and Timor-Leste (4-0), the Blue Tigresses currently top the table.
However, winger Soumya Guguloth will miss the clash after suffering a nasal bone fracture in the previous game.
While Thailand also sit on six points with a +11 goal difference, India’s coach Crispin Chettri stressed that the focus is on securing three points against Iraq, not chasing goal margins. “We shouldn’t worry about how many goals Thailand or we score. Our focus is on beating Iraq,” said Chettri.
Iraq, ranked 103 places below India, have one win from three games and must win to stay alive in the tournament. Chettri acknowledged their inconsistency but warned against underestimating them, citing fatigue from back-to-back matches as a possible factor India can exploit.
Chettri, who has already used 22 of his 23-player squad, hinted at further rotation to give younger players valuable minutes while keeping key players fresh for the final match against Thailand on July 5.
“If we manage to score early, we may rotate more freely,” he added, following a focused training and recovery schedule post their win over Timor-Leste.
Published: July 2, 2025 – 5:40 AM IST
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