The match at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan will be India’s first international outing since they won their sixth SAFF Women’s Championship title in June. India will look to put their emerging generation of women’s footballers through a stern test when they take on 27th-ranked Russia in the first of two international friendlies in Kolkata on Thursday. The Blue Tigresses, ranked 69th in the world, will face a Russia side that has won both their previous meetings, including an 8-0 victory in 2021 and a 2-0 triumph in Sharjah in February last year.
Russia arrived in Kolkata only on Tuesday evening and will have had limited preparation time before the first game, although defender Veronika Kuropatkina said the ongoing domestic season has ensured the squad is in good physical condition. It will also be a historic occasion for Kolkata, with the Indian women’s senior team making its international debut in the city. Head coach Crispin Chettri, however, is more interested in what the fixture can offer his young squad as India build towards next year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup. Goalkeeper Nandini and winger Sibani Devi Nongmeikapam are among those looking to make an impression at senior level, while forward Renu returns after recovering from injury. “The previous game is history, it’s just statistics.
India’s preparations have been affected by the unavailability of some players due to club commitments, particularly East Bengal’s participation in the AFC Women’s Champions League and the Indian Women’s League. The Indian squad has an average age of 23, with several players graduating from the Under-20 setup.
“If you want to do well in the Asian Cup, then we have to start building right now,” Chettri said on the eve of the match. Every new game is a new challenge for both teams,” Krasnozhan said.
