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Chiang Mai: India sealed their place at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Thailand on Saturday with head coach Crispin Chettri attributing the qualification to long-term development.

Sangita Basfore was the star on Saturday, scoring both goals to ensure India finished top of Group B with a perfect record of 12 points, leaving former champions Thailand to miss out on a place in the Finals.

An emotional Chhetri dedicated the win to those who had worked tirelessly to grow the women’s game in India, with the South Asian side making the Finals for the first time since the introduction of the Qualifiers.

"I think I’m short of words at this point, but I want to sincerely thank all the Indian Women’s League (IWL) club owners for helping football grow in India. To all the coaches working in the IWL, we’re successful today because of their hard work and of course, the players. This has become a massive platform for Indian football,” said Chettri.

"We’re going through a tough phase in Indian football. It’s not just about women’s football. It’s across the board. But I believe we’ve now set a standard and built a strong foundation. The next step is to build a true football culture. One with passionate fans and lasting support. I’m honestly short of words. Thank you.

"I want the fans to keep supporting football, whether it's men’s or women’s. Every sport goes through tough times, but for me, there are no failures in sport. The men’s team is going through a difficult period, and the women’s team is working hard to bounce back — but it’s all part of the journey. We keep learning, and we keep growing.”

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