India’s U20 women’s football team booked their place in the 2026 AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Myanmar in their final Group D qualifier at Yangon’s Thuwunna Stadium.
Pooja scored the decisive goal in the 27th minute, finishing off a move she had started with a counter-attack from the right. After her cross evaded multiple players, Neha recovered the ball on the opposite flank and looped it back into the box, allowing Pooja to guide it over the line with her torso.
The win took India to the top of Group D with seven points, sealing their first qualification for the continental tournament since 2006.
While India controlled the first half, Myanmar came out stronger after the break, spurred on by their home crowd. Goalkeeper Monalisha Devi was the standout performer, making a vital save against Su Su Khin early in the second half and twice denying Moe Pwint Phyu — once when her header hit the post and rolled along the goal line, and again when a deflected shot struck the woodwork in the 90th minute.
India nearly doubled their lead in stoppage time when Sibani Devi’s cross found Sulanjana Raul, whose header crashed against the crossbar.
This result also marked Monalisha’s third consecutive clean sheet in the qualifiers, underlining the defensive resilience that carried India to the tournament in Thailand.
