India suffers 0-8 defeat to Russia in second women’s football friendly in Kolkata

India lost 0-4 to Russia in the opening international friendly on October 8 before suffering a 0-8 defeat in the second match on Sunday. | Photo Credit: AIFF MEDIA

India’s women’s national team suffered a heavy 0-8 defeat to Russia in the second international friendly at the Kishore Bharati Stadium in Kolkata on Sunday.

The World No. 27 Russian side demonstrated its technical and physical superiority over India, ranked 69th, leaving head coach Crispin Chettri with plenty to ponder as he assesses emerging under-20 and developmental players.

The defeat echoed India’s similar loss to Russia in the Turkish Women’s Cup in February 2021. Across their four meetings so far, India has conceded 22 goals without scoring against the Russians.

Compared to the opening friendly on October 8, India struggled to retain possession during transitions, frequently losing the ball and failing to provide adequate support to an isolated forward line. This highlighted the gap in physical conditioning and match readiness between the two sides.

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The Indian head coach noted that the lack of competitive domestic club football since June had also proved a significant factor. Keeping pace with a Russian side in the middle of its league season presented a considerable physical challenge for Indian players, who have had limited exposure to high-intensity competition.

The two defeats have highlighted areas requiring attention, particularly possession, physical conditioning and attacking effectiveness, as India seeks to improve its international competitiveness.

Following a disappointing campaign at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia earlier this year, Chettri has shifted the team’s long-term focus towards qualification and a stronger showing at the 2029 edition, which Uzbekistan will host.

Published on Oct 11, 2026

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