UNSPLASH
India qualified for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup football for the first time in two decades after edging past Myanmar 1-0 in their final Group D qualifying match here on Sunday.
Pooja scored the decisive goal in the 27th minute at the Thuwunna Stadium as India finished on top of the group with seven points to make it to the 2026 edition of the main tournament in Thailand.
India dominated the first half while Myanmar controlled the proceedings in the second. Neha and Sibani Devi Nongmeikapam combined in the third minute to threaten the Myanmar goal but it did not lead to a goal.
The hosts launched a few counter-attacks, and forward Su Su Khin came close to scoring in the ninth minute.
Pooja gave India the lead before the half-hour mark. She herself initiated the counter attack before crossing it in from the right. The ball evaded all, but Neha, at the opposite flank, managed to get onto the end of it and sent it looping back in.