Shillong: Sara Didar struck twice as the Indian senior women’s football team suffered a 0-2 defeat against Iran in the opening match of the Tri-Nation friendly football tournament here on Tuesday.
Didar scored in the 64th and 74th minutes to settle the contest in favour of Iran, leaving India searching for answers in their tournament opener at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The Tri-Nation Tournament, which also features Nepal, serves as a preparatory platform for the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026.
For India, the match was a return to action after a historic AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualification campaign earlier this year. The Blue Tigresses looked off-colour and tentative. Iran, by contrast, were composed, physically superior on the ball, and dictated the rhythm of the game almost from the outset.
The tone was set as early as the fourth minute. A routine cross was fumbled by Panthoi, allowing Fatemeh Shaban Ghohrood to pounce on the loose ball. Only a desperate clearance from Phanjoubam Nirmala Devi prevented Iran from taking the lead, the ball glancing the post and going out of danger Iran grew in confidence, stringing together flowing moves, while India struggled to build anything in the final third.