Suzhou , India face a stern test against powerhouse Japan as they look to bounce back from their opening game defeat and revive their campaign in the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 here on Tuesday.
The Young Tigresses lost their opening Group B match to Australia 0-2 and find themselves in a situation where every goal will matter after Japan crushed Lebanon 13-0 to garner three points.
Japan, among the most technically refined sides in women’s football, bring formidable pedigree into the clash, having reached the final in seven of the nine editions of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup and lifting the title four times.
The Asian giants also underlined their global dominance by clinching the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup crown in 2014.
Though Japan will start as overwhelming favourites, the Young Tigresses remain undaunted, with head coach Pamela Conti asserting that her players will take the field with a clear and focused mindset.
“We’ve just finished training, and we are quite excited because we are going to play against one of the strongest teams in the world.
“Me, as a coach, and the players as well, believe that we need to play a perfect match if we want to win. But beyond that, just being there, experiencing it, and enjoying the game is also important. I will definitely enjoy it,” said Conti.
India have prepared diligently for the tournament with more than three months of rigorous training, including exposure trips to Myanmar and Russia. The challenges posed by teams like Russia and Australia have provided valuable lessons, with the focus now shifting to countering Japan’s pace and technical precision.
“The message to the players has been clear throughout training. We cannot just defend. If we let them have the ball without pressure, it will be very easy for them to find spaces and create one-on-one situations,” Conti said.
“We need to stay strong. We know their strengths. They will try to push us back as much as possible. But we need to stay higher up the pitch so that we can show that we are there, and not make it easy for them,” added Conti.
For India, the emphasis is also on building a long-term competitive mentality, regardless of the opposition.
“Our mentality should never change. Whether you play against the best team or the lowest-ranked team, it’s always about three points. It’s important to build a winning mentality, and you develop that by playing these kinds of demanding matches,” said Conti.
“It’s also important for the players to be able to say in the future, ‘I played against Japan back then.’ That experience matters,” the Italian tactician added.
Right-back Divyani Linda emphasised the need for a clear execution-focused mindset following the game against Australia.
“The feeling is good. We are excited because it’s our first time playing against a team like Japan. They are a tough side, but we believe we can do well too,” said the 17-year-old who has four goals and four assists in her youth international career for India.
India’s defensive structure held for large parts against Australia, but individual errors proved costly. That’s an area the team is keen to address.
“We need to improve from the last game and avoid the mistakes we made. Our team is good, everyone has quality. Maybe we are not as physically strong, but we play well with our minds and our understanding of the game.
“In the last few games , we’ve conceded goals from our errors, so we need to avoid those and perform better,” said Divyani.
Japan’s style is built on quick combinations, fluid movement, sustained concentration and technical discipline a demanding blueprint that India have been meticulously preparing to counter.
“Mentally, against a team like Japan, we have to stay focused. They play very quick, short-passing football and create chances that way. So we also need to play more on the ground, keep our passes short, and stay composed,” Linda added.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
