India qualified for the AFC U20 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 one and all, but Neha, at the opposite flank, managed to get onto the end of it and sent it looping back in.
Pooja, who had made her way to the goalmouth by then, barely had enough time to react, and plonked it over the line with her torso.
That calmed the nerves in the Indian camp, and the Young Tigresses kept the ball and took their slender lead into the break.
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The second half was a completely different affair. Buoyed by the home support, Myanmar came all guns blazing, and India goalkeeper Monalisha Devi had to make a smart 48th-minute save to keep Su Su Khin out.
India dug deep, as they absorbed wave after wave of Myanmar attacks.
Monalisha, who had not conceded a single goal in the previous two matches, was called into action with 10 minutes left on the clock, when Myanmar substitute Moe Pwint Phyu struck a headed cross sent by Ei Thet Phyo on to the upright.
The ball kept rolling tantalisingly on the line, before the India goalkeeper leapt across and swiped it away to safety.
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Phyu hit the woodwork once again, this time in the 90th minute, when her shot took a deflection off Shubhangi, only to bounce out of play.
Seconds later, India broke on the counter as Sibani sent a cross to Sulanjana Raul, who also hit the woodwork, her header crashing into the cross-bar.
Despite all the pressure from the hosts, India clung on to their lead, and secured qualification for the first time since 2006.
