Abhista basnett
Image Source: IANS
'I Am Proud Of The Tournament We Had,' Says Head Coach Conti After India's Asian Cup Campaign Ends In QF
Suzhou Sports Centre Stadium: Tears flowed across one dugout at the Suzhou Sports Centre Stadium after the final whistle. Several Indian players dropped to the ground in disappointment; others stood frozen in silence, while coaches and teammates moved around trying to console one another. India had come within one match of a historic FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualification, and the pain of seeing that dream slip away was visible on every face after the 0-3 quarter-final defeat against hosts China on Monday.
“It is hard for me to speak because we did not expect this result,” said India centre-back Abhista Basnett after the match, as quoted by AIFF. “We came into the match with a different mentality, but football is like that sometimes. Still, I am happy and proud of the way we performed throughout the tournament and the unity we showed as a team. It is sad that we were just one step away from our dream, but I am really proud of this team.”
India’s campaign in the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026 ultimately ended in the quarter-finals, but it still marked the country’s best-ever performance in the tournament. India women became the first-ever Indian team to make the quarter-finals at the U17 women’s level.
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