AFC Women's Olympic Football Tournament: India joins Japan, Vietnam and Uzbekistan in Group C
May 18, 2023
New Delhi [India] May 18 : Indian women's football team, which has qualified for the AFC Women's Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024, has been placed in Group C along with Japan, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan.
The draw was held on Thursday.
Indian Women's Football team, also known as Blue Tigresses, is ranked 61st in the world.
Japan is ranked 11th in the world, Vietnam is placed 33rd and Uzbekistan is in 50th position, according to AIFF.
India qualified for Round 2 by defeating the Kyrgyz Republic twice earlier this year. The Blue Tigresses beat the Kyrgyz Republic in a two-legged playoff 5-0 and 4-0.
India also played Uzbekistan in a one-off friendly during the qualification rounds, losing to an injury-time goal 3-2.
The Blue Tigresses have suffered narrow one-goal losses in the three previous matches they have played Uzbekistan.
India last faced Vietnam in a friendly match in Hanoi in 2019 and the tie ended in a 1-1 draw.
The last meeting with Japan took place in the 1997 Asian Women's Championship, with India going down 1-0.
The AFC Women's Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024 Round 2 matches will be played between October 23 and November 1 this year.
India will play their Group C games in Uzbekistan.
Four teams -- the three group winners and the best-ranked runners-up -- will progress to Round 3 to play two pairs of home and away matches, slated for February 24 and 28, 2024. The winners will take the two spots reserved for Asia in the Women's Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024.
Draw Result
Group A: Australia, Chinese Taipei, Philippines, IR Iran
Group B: China PR, Korea Republic, Thailand, DPR Korea
Group C: Japan, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, India
