Young Tigresses one step away from historic back-to-back Asian Cup qualification

Selayang , Malaysia stand between India and a second successive appearance at the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup as the Young Tigresses take on the hosts in a winner-takes-all final Group E qualifier here on Sunday.

Both teams head into the decisive clash with six points from two matches, having won both their opening fixtures without conceding a goal. India, however, hold the edge with an imposing 16 goals, compared to Malaysia's five.

Joakim Alexandersson's side need only avoid defeat to seal qualification as group winners. A draw would leave the teams level on points and head-to-head record, but India's superior goal difference would ensure they finish on top.

Malaysia, on the other hand, must win to dislodge India and claim the group's sole qualifying spot.

Only the eight group winners from the qualifiers will advance to the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027, joining defending champions DPR Korea, Japan, Australia and hosts China, who earned direct entry after finishing in the top four at the 2026 edition.

India reached the quarter-finals in the previous edition, making history by advancing to the knockout stage for the first time.

A victory or draw on Sunday would open the door to another landmark achievement, making India the first Indian team to qualify for back-to-back Women's Asian Cups in any age category, including the senior level.

Alexandersson, however, has no intention of sending his team out to play for a draw, insisting that the Young Tigresses will approach the crucial encounter with a winning mindset.

"We have to go into the game trying to win. With young players, it is difficult to tell them that a draw will be enough. We will try to win the game, but at the same time, we have to attack with a little more sense and find the right balance," he said.

India have put themselves in the driving seat with two contrasting victories. They began their campaign with a record-breaking 14-0 demolition of Iraq, the biggest-ever win by an Indian U17 women's team, before negotiating a tougher test against Syria, whom they beat 2-0 on Thursday.

Malaysia, meanwhile, opened with a narrow 1-0 win over Syria before stepping up the attack to beat Iraq 4-0.

Anushka Kumari has been the driving force behind India's goal rush, netting five times against Iraq before scoring both goals against Syria. Her seven strikes account for nearly half of India's 16 goals in the qualifiers, but the forward was quick to underline the collective effort behind the team's impressive run.

"It feels very good to score seven goals, but it is not only about me. My teammates are creating the chances and giving me the passes, and I am trying to convert them. It is a team effort. We have all been working very hard, and I am very thankful to the team and to the coach for their support," said the 15-year-old.

"We could have scored more against Syria, but we were not clinical enough. We have to improve, move our attacks faster and move the ball quicker to unsettle the opponent. That is something we need to do against Malaysia," added Anushka.

Alexandersson eased the workload after regular training sessions and two matches in four days, with the players doing light strength work and spending half an hour in the pool. The focus has now shifted to Malaysia, with the Young Tigresses scheduled to train under floodlights on the eve of the match.

"I made the decision to give them some rest because I felt we had been training and playing games every day. Before the last game, I felt it was important to save some energy," Alexandersson said.

"Now the focus is completely on the Malaysia match. We will go through how we want to defend against them, where their weaknesses are, how we can punish them and who their most important players are. These are the things we want to make clear to the players."

India also have the advantage of experience, with 13 players from the previous U17 cycle that qualified for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2026.

"Obviously, it helps a lot," Alexandersson said of the returning players, including top-scorer Anushka, captain Abhista Basnett and goalkeeper Munni.

"They know what it is like to play these kinds of games. Most of them are now better at communicating, and they try to support the new players in a good way. The way they play also brings a certain calmness to the whole team, and that is very important."

Alexandersson has repeatedly reminded his players that their efforts in the first two matches will count for little if they fail to maintain their standards in the decisive final.

"Even if people outside think we are the favourites, we must always stay humble, whoever we are facing. In every sport, you have to be humble and respect the opponent," the Swede said.

"Of course, self-confidence is important. You need to believe in what you are doing, but you also have to do the hard work in the games. As long as we stick to our principles and try to work harder than the opponent, I feel we have a good advantage," he added.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.