The Indian women’s national football team suffered a 0-4 defeat against Russia in the first of their two international friendlies at the rain-soaked Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Thursday.
Despite a disciplined defensive display in the opening half, the Blue Tigresses struggled to contain Russia after the break. Iana Sheina opened the scoring in the 40th minute, while substitute Kira Petukhova netted twice in the 60th and 65th minutes. Iana Svistunova added the fourth goal in the 81st minute to seal a comfortable victory for the visitors.
The match provided head coach Crispin Chettri with an opportunity to assess emerging talent, as six Indian players made their international debuts. Babysana Devi Thingbaijam, Malati Munda, Cindy Colney, Shubhangi Singh, Dhurga Perumal and Sibani Devi Nongmeikapam earned their first senior caps. Goalkeeper Monalisha Devi Moirangthem made her first start for the national team, taking her international appearances to three.
Ranked 69th in the world, India faced a tough challenge against 27th-ranked Russia in the country’s first-ever women’s international match in Kolkata. However, the hosts showed resilience during the opening stages, maintaining a compact defensive structure and limiting Russia’s attacking opportunities.
Russia controlled much of the possession and looked to stretch India’s defence with forward movements. The hosts responded by closing down passing lanes and tracking runners, while Monalisha made important interventions to keep the score level.
India came close to taking the lead around the half-hour mark when Malavika P found herself with a promising close-range opportunity. However, Russian goalkeeper Natalia Silina reacted quickly to deny the forward. Lynda Kom Serto also had a chance later in the first half, but India could not convert their opportunities.
Russia eventually broke the deadlock through Sheina, who produced a precise finish into the bottom corner in the 40th minute, leaving Monalisha with little chance. India went into the half-time break trailing 0-1 but remained within touching distance of their opponents.
The second half proved more difficult for the hosts as heavy rain made the playing surface increasingly slippery. Russia intensified their attacking pressure, forcing India deeper into their own half and restricting their ability to launch counterattacks.
Monalisha made several saves to keep India in the contest, while Natalia Mashina and Petukhova narrowly missed further opportunities. However, Russia doubled their advantage in the 60th minute when captain Nadezhda Smirnova attempted a long-range effort. The ball took an awkward bounce off the wet surface, and although Monalisha managed to parry it, Petukhova reacted quickly to score from close range.
The substitute struck again five minutes later, capitalising on India’s inability to clear the ball inside the penalty area to make it 3-0.
Chettri responded by making three substitutions in the 66th minute, introducing Shubhangi Singh, Priyadharshini Selladurai and Renu in place of Malati Munda, Babysana Devi Thingbaijam and Jasoda Munda.
Russia continued to dominate proceedings and completed the scoring in the 81st minute. Svistunova controlled a bouncing cross from the left with an excellent first touch before driving the ball into the net to establish the final 4-0 scoreline.
The defeat highlighted the challenge facing India as they look to build a competitive squad capable of sustaining their defensive organisation against higher-ranked opponents. Nevertheless, the team showed encouraging signs in the first half, while the opportunities given to six debutants marked an important step in developing the next generation of Indian women’s footballers.
India will look to regroup and respond when the two teams meet again in the second international friendly on October 11, 2026.
