Live streaming, Paris 2024 Olympics women’s football qualifiers: Can India upset Japan? Round 2 schedule, where to watch
India will compete against Japan, Vietnam and hosts Uzbekistan in Group C for a place in the final round of the Olympic qualifiers slated in February. Watch live!
Football
The Indian football team will look to defy the odds when it takes on the higher-ranked Japan, Vietnam and hosts Uzbekistan in the second round of the AFC Women's Olympic Qualifiers starting in Tashkent from Thursday.
India, 61st in the world football rankings, will kick off their campaign against Japan at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Tashkent on Thursday. Japan are the London 2012 silver medallists and Asia’s top-ranked side at world No. 8.
Japan also won the gold medal at the Asian Games while India could not progress beyond the group stages.
The Indian women’s football team will face Vietnam at the same venue on Sunday followed by the match against Uzbekistan on November 1 at Milliy Stadium. Vietnam are Asia’s fifth-best side at world No. 34 while Uzbekistan are ranked 50th.
The AFC Women's Olympic football qualifiers will be live streamed in India.
The first round of the AFC Women's Olympic qualifying tournament was played in April. India beat the Kyrgyz Republic 5-0 and 4-0 in the two-legged playoff in Bishkek to qualify for the second round.
The second round of the AFC Women's Olympic qualifiers features 12 teams. They have been equally divided into three groups (A-C).
The three group winners and one best-placed runner-up from the second round will play for the two spots for the Paris 2024 Olympics in the third and final round to be held in February 2024.
“I guess it's going to be tough to beat Japan for the top spot. So realistically, we should be very happy with second place,” Indian coach Thomas Dennerby said.
For the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, AFC’s Olympic qualifying tournament for women consisted of four rounds. India could not make it past the second round.
While the Indian men’s football team has made four appearances at the Olympic Games, the Indian women’s football team is yet to make its debut at the quadrennial event.
Dennerby has retained the core of the Indian women's football team that competed at the Asian Games.
While Bala Devi and Manisha Kalyan will lead the Indian attack, Ashalata Devi and Dalima Chhibber will be the pillars in defence.
AFC’s Paris 2024 Olympics women’s football qualifiers round 2: India’s schedule and live start times
As per Indian Standard Time (IST)
AFC’s Paris 2024 Olympics women’s football qualifiers round 2: Indian squad
Goalkeepers: Sowmiya Narayanasamy, Shreya Hooda, Panthoi Chanu
Defenders: Ashalata Devi, Sweety Devi, Ritu Rani, Ranjana Chanu, Dalima Chhibber, Manisa Panna, Shilky Devi Hemam, Astam Oraon
Midfielders: Priyangka Devi, Anju Tamang, Indumathi Kathiresan, Sangita Basfore
Forwards: Grace Dangmei, Soumya Guguloth, Renu, Sandhiya Ranganathan, Bala Devi, Sanju, Manisha Kalyan
Where to watch AFC’s Paris 2024 Olympics women’s football qualifiers live in India
Live streaming of India’s matches in the AFC Women's Olympic Qualifiers will be available on Uzbekistan Football Association’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. There will be no live telecast of the matches on any TV channel in India.