The Indian women's football team delivered another dominant performance with a 5-0 win over Iraq on Wednesday, July 2, moving closer to AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualification. The Blue Tigresses, already on a high after defeating Mongolia 13-0 and Timor-Leste 4-0, maintained their perfect record — three wins, 22 goals scored, none conceded.
In this match:
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Sangita Basfore opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a powerful header off a corner from Sanju, following relentless early pressure.
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Manisha doubled the lead just before halftime with a low shot that deceived the Iraq defence and goalkeeper.
After the break:
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Karthika Angamuthu made it 3-0 in the 52nd minute with a stunning 25-yard strike that caught the substitute goalkeeper Faeza Mahmood off her line.
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Phanjoubam Nirmala Devi added a fourth with another long-range effort in the 68th minute.
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Nongmaithem Ratanbala Devi, coming off the bench, sealed the win in the 80th minute, reacting smartly to score on the rebound after her initial shot was saved.
India dominated possession throughout, using the flanks effectively and maintaining pressure with a well-organised midfield. Iraq struggled to get out of their half, particularly in the second period.
India now head into their final group match against Thailand on Saturday, July 5. With both sides unbeaten, that clash is expected to be a direct qualification decider for the Asian Cup.
