Indian Women's Football Team Ready to Take on Egypt in Jordan

The women in blue had to bow out from the group stage of the AFC Asian Cup, hosted by India in January-February 2022. 

India was unable to play due to a Covid-19 outbreak within the team in Mumbai. A match against 95th ranked Egypt at the Prince Mohammed Stadium will provide them with a perfect opportunity to erase the after-effects of their last fiasco. Qualifying for the 2023 FIFA World Cup from the Asian Cup has been a goal for the 59th ranked team in the world.

Head Coach Thomas Dennerby Hopeful of a Strong Comeback for the Blue Tigresses

Indian women's team head coach Thomas Dennerby realizes the importance of executing a win after the break. He said, "It promises to be a good game, against Egypt, and all the girls are feeling ready to return to the pitch once again. We have a lot of respect for all our opponents, but that does not change our approach to any game. We always want to put in a good performance and play to win."

Skipper and center-back Ashalata Devi revealed that her teammates are excited to delve into the international circuit again after a short camp in Goa. The camp was nothing less than therapeutic for the team, as it helped get them together to train for the matches against Egypt and Jordan. "It feels great to be back in national colors once again, after a short break. We're all pumped up and ready to go. We have had a good camp in Goa, and it has helped us assess ourselves before going for the two matches. Let's hope for the best,' said the captain. 

India Might Achieve a Milestone Upon Winning

The upcoming match against Egypt is a preparatory match and the opponent is considerably lower ranked. However, a win for the Blue Tigresses could be a historic milestone for the Indian Women's Football Team due to the fact that they have never beaten an African nation in a FIFA-recognized match before. Some reports would debate that the country has beat Mauritania on 4th August 2019 which qualifies as the same.

Sadly, it was an unofficial friendly match because the Mauritanian football federation does not officially recognize the women's team and is not supportive of women's football. Similarly, in men's football, the last time India recorded a victory over an African nation was in 2018 when they beat Kenya. 

Hence, fans are anticipating an impressive show by the Indians which is achievable because of India’s higher rank. Their victory would mark India's maiden win in women's football against an African country in an official match. After the opener, India will square off against hosts Jordan, ranked 63rd, in their second friendly on Friday, April 8, 2022.