Daijiworld Media Network - Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai, Jun 28: After a dominant 13-0 win over Mongolia in their opening match, the Indian senior women’s football team is set to face Timor Leste in their second outing at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers on Sunday. The match will be held at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

India currently sits second in Group B, tied on three points with Thailand, while Iraq tops the table with four points after a win against Mongolia and a draw with Timor Leste. Despite Timor Leste being ranked 158th—well below India’s 70th position—head coach Crispin Chettri has urged caution.

“Timor Leste are more defensively organised than Mongolia, and I’d say better than Iraq as well. They play on the counter and can hold possession when needed. Their game against Thailand showed glimpses of pace and structure, even though they lost 0-4,” Chettri noted.

India and Timor Leste have never met before in international competition. Timor Leste, coached by Indonesia’s Emral bin Bustamam, has been more active than Mongolia in recent years, competing in multiple editions of the ASEAN Women’s Championship and finishing fourth in the 2024 AFF Women’s Cup. Their 0-0 draw with Iraq on Monday marked their first-ever point in an AFC tournament.

Chettri and his staff were present to observe Timor Leste’s performance against Thailand. Drawing lessons from that and using the five-day break, the Indian squad focused on fine-tuning tactics and recovery.

“We worked on a few areas where we felt we could improve after the Mongolia match. The players had two morning and two evening training sessions, with Wednesday as a complete rest day,” Chettri said.

He also emphasized the importance of mental recovery. “Tournaments like these are high-pressure. Sometimes it's important for players to step away from the football mindset and recharge. That mental break helps them return to training with sharper focus and energy,” he added.

With three matches scheduled in the span of a week, India will look to build momentum and keep their qualification hopes alive by securing another strong result against Timor Leste.