“Nobody Believed It Was Possible”- Pamela Conti Hails India’s Historic Quarter-Final Run At AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cupnewsline24

India reached the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup quarter-finals for the first time. The Young Tigresses beat Lebanon 4-0 in Suzhou, China. The result put India among Asia’s top eight teams. It also left them one win from the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026.

Players surrounded head coach Pamela Conti at full-time. They hugged her, chanted around her, and tried to lift her. The Italian coach had tears in her eyes. The win rewarded more than three months of training. The group often worked twice a day in camp.

The match against Lebanon was must-win after two losses. India had earlier lost to Australia and Japan in Group B. Against Lebanon, they attacked with clarity from kick-off. Pritika Barman scored twice, while Alva Devi Senjam and Joya added goals. India controlled the game across both halves.

For the first time, an Indian women’s team is one win away. That is one win away from a FIFA World Cup on merit. Speaking to the-aiff.com, Conti said, “It is an incredible achievement. Nobody believed it was possible, but from the very first moment, I believed.”

Conti praises work ethic and tactical discipline

Conti said she was proud of the team’s intent. “We played an incredible match. Honestly, 4-0 is even a narrow result because we could have scored more goals.” She highlighted the high pressure, constant search for goals, and strong tactical organisation across the match.

She stressed that progression mattered more than the big score. “But the most important thing was qualifying for the knockout stage, and I am extremely happy about that.” Conti took charge in January. She set high standards from the start of her tenure.

“From the first day I arrived, I told the players that we had to work, work, and work,” Conti said. “I do not know any other path to success apart from hard work. Nobody complained, nobody got tired of it. We trained for almost three and a half months.”

Return to Asian stage and impact back home

India came back to this tournament after 21 years away. They joined a tough Group B with Australia, Japan, and Lebanon. Defeats to Australia and Japan left their hopes in danger. The strong response against Lebanon kept their campaign alive and lifted squad morale.

Conti underlined the wider meaning for the country. “For me, the most important thing is that we have given happiness to India, a country that welcomed me so warmly from the beginning. Now we can say that we are among the top eight teams in Asia.”

Quarter-final against hosts China

India will now face China in the quarter-final on Monday. The match will kick off at 17:00 IST on May 11. It will stream live on the AFC Asian Cup YouTube Channel. The winner will secure a spot at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026.

China topped Group A with a perfect record. They scored 15 goals against Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand. They did not concede a single goal in the group. That form, plus home support, makes them strong favourites against India in Suzhou.

“China is a very strong team,” Conti said. “They have many technically gifted players, they are good tactically, and they have the advantage of playing at home with a lot of crowd support. We will try to achieve qualification for the World Cup, knowing how difficult it will be.”

Conti again stressed attitude and dignity. “I already said before the tournament that we would play against every team with dignity, and that is exactly what this team is doing. We will go there to play our game, to make things difficult for them, and hopefully we can win and achieve the World Cup qualification that we all want so much.”