Suzhou, China — India midfielder Thandamoni Baskey struck a balanced note of accountability and resolve following the team's 0-2 defeat to Australia in the opening group-stage fixture of the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup on 3 May. Playing 89 minutes, Thandamoni acknowledged India's defensive discipline against a physically superior opponent while pinpointing tactical lapses that proved decisive.

What went wrong

"This was our first match in the Asian Cup. I feel we did well, but we could have done even better. They didn't manage to take many shots, and even the one they scored came from our mistake," Thandamoni told the All India Football Federation (AIFF) website. The midfielder, who contributed a goal and an assist during the qualifying rounds, underscored that India's errors were self-inflicted rather than the result of Australia's dominance alone.

Tactical approach against physicality

India entered the match with a structured game plan to neutralise Australia's physical edge — a strategy Thandamoni emphasised as central to the team's mindset. "The coach had given us clear instructions about our roles. They were taller than us, so we had to think about how to deal with that. Our mentality was to believe in ourselves and know that we can do it," she explained. The focus on ground-based passing rather than aerial contests reflected a deliberate attempt to nullify the opposition's physicality.

Second-half intensity and finishing woes

Substitute Anushka Kumari, who entered in the second half, identified attacking execution as the critical shortfall. "We weren't able to attack much, so we needed to create more attacking positions and keep more shots on target," Kumari said. India registered two shots on target in the second half while restricting Australia's chances, yet struggled to convert pressure into goals. "Our finishing wasn't good. They were physically stronger than us, and that affected our game a little," Kumari added.

Staying focused on remaining fixtures

Despite the opening setback, the camp's focus has shifted decisively to the road ahead. Thandamoni stressed that two critical group-stage matches against Japan and Lebanon remain, and the team's mentality is geared toward recovery. "We still have two matches left, so we will keep working harder and try to win. There's a bit of disappointment after the loss, but also a strong feeling from within that we must lift ourselves up," she said. India's next challenge comes against Japan, a test that will define the team's tournament trajectory.