The Indian Under-20 women’s football team played out a 1-1 draw against Uzbekistan in an international friendly at the Do’stlik Stadium in Tashkent on Monday, kicking off its crucial preparations for next month’s AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers.
After an initial postponement due to operational challenges at the venue, the match was rescheduled from Sunday to Monday, with both teams agreeing to play behind closed doors. Despite the absence of a crowd, the game delivered moments of quality and promise for both sides.
Hosts Uzbekistan struck first in the 38th minute when Mehribon Egamberdieva capitalized on a defensive lapse and slotted the ball past the Indian goalkeeper. The home team looked comfortable maintaining their narrow lead deep into the second half.
However, India, led by Swedish head coach Joakim Alexandersson, showed resilience and equalized in the 79th minute through Sulanjana Raul. Her well-timed strike helped India salvage a draw and showcased the fighting spirit of the young side.
This match marked the first of two friendlies between the two teams, designed to provide vital match practice ahead of their respective qualification campaigns. India and Uzbekistan will face off again on Wednesday as both teams aim to fine-tune their tactics and squad chemistry.
India is currently gearing up for Group A of the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers, scheduled to be held in Yangon, Myanmar. The team will face Indonesia on August 6, Turkmenistan on August 8, and the host nation Myanmar on August 10. Only the group winner and three best runners-up across all eight groups will earn a spot in the final tournament in Thailand next year.
Uzbekistan, coached by Vladimir Panov, is also preparing for its own qualifiers as host of Group G. It will face Bahrain, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Jordan in its bid to reach the continental finals.
Monday’s match gave both teams a valuable glimpse of their strengths and areas for improvement ahead of a challenging qualification path. For India, the comeback result away from home adds a dose of confidence and belief as they continue to build under Alexandersson’s leadership.
