India’s defence was up to the job, but an unlucky goalkeeping blunder cost them in the 10th minute. Although veering dangerously, Vasilisa Avlienko’s long-range attempt appeared to be comfortable for Khushi Kumari. But, the kid misread the curve and palmed it into the net.
After a foolish tackle in the area, Russia was awarded a penalties, which Daria Kotlova scored calmly to increase their advantage. During the remainder of the half, India tightened their defence and played on the counter, with the defence frequently releasing long balls to Shilji Shaji, Pooja, and Sibani Devi in the goal of catching Russia off guard.
The plan almost paid off early in the second half, when Arina Kadigrob and goalie Uliana Obukhova botched a straightforward stop, allowing Sibani to sneak in. The winger took advantage of their hesitation to seize the ball, but Obukhova was on ready to stop her.
From there, the Young Tigresses’ opportunities were few and far between, as they positioned men behind the ball to avoid conceding more and trying to press the game in the later stages. With a minute of normal time remaining, India got their greatest chance of the game.
Shilji pushed Obukhova into a diving save with an indirect free kick. Menaka got the rebound and put Pooja through. The youngster took a wide shot. That marked the end of a tremendous learning experience for the young crew.
