India kicked off their AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 qualifying campaign in a dominant way, registering a record-breaking 13-0 win against Mongolia at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai on Monday, June 23, 2025.
The Blue Tigresses led 4-0 at half-time and carried their dominance into the second half to secure their biggest-ever victory in the competition, surpassing previous 10-0 wins over Guam in 1997 and 2005. Pyari Xaxa stole the spotlight with five goals (29’, 45’, 46’, 52’, 55’), while Soumya Guguloth (20’, 59’) and Priyadharshini Selladurai (73’, 86’) netted twice each.
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India took control early, with Sangita Basfore opening the scoring in the 8th minute, before Soumya smashed in a superb volley. Pyari added two more before the break and completed her hat-trick right after the restart.
The second half saw India maintain their momentum with further strikes from Rimpa Haldar, Malavika, and a coolly taken penalty by Grace Dangmei (75’).
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Coach Crispin Chettri made multiple substitutions in the second half, handing valuable game time to Priyadharshini, Malavika, and Monalisha Devi.
“We came here with a goal—to begin strong, and the girls delivered that perfectly,” said Chettri.
With this dominant display, India have set the tone for the rest of their qualification journey.
