Despite a 0-4 defeat to Russia, India Women’s head coach Crispin Chhetri backs his young squad to learn from the experience, improve fitness and build towards AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2029 qualification.

Kolkata, October 9: “I would rather lose now and qualify for AFC than rather win here and not qualify for AFC,”– Crispin Chhetri. The scoreline may have favoured Russia, but for India Women’s head coach Crispin Chettri, the 0-4 defeat was about more than just the result. In the Women’s International friendly Against a side ranked higher in the FIFA rankings, the Blue Tigresses got an opportunity to experience the pace, physicality and technical quality required at the international level, something Crispin Chettri believes could prove important in the days ahead.

India showed character in the opening stages, pressing the Russian players and trying to execute their plans. However, as the match progressed, the difference in fitness and the ability to handle the speed of the game became more evident. Russia took control, particularly in the second half, to register a convincing victory.

For Crispin, though, the bigger picture lies in what his young side can take from the experience. “Although being a young side, we showed character. We are not scared to press, we are not scared to run. I think we tried to do things which are in our control,” he said after the match.

The Indian coach was particularly pleased that his players did not give up, even when the contest became difficult. He also acknowledged that fitness remains one of the areas where the team needs to improve, while making it clear that such progress cannot happen overnight.

“The main problem is our fitness, but we can’t improve our fitness in two days. So maybe from 45 minutes, 40 minutes, whatever character we show, can we carry it to 60 minutes? So it’s a step forward,” he explained.

That assessment perhaps reflects India’s biggest challenge against Russia. The Tigresses were willing to compete, but sustaining their intensity against a technically stronger opponent proved difficult. Russia’s ability to control the ball at speed and move through pressure exposed the gap that India must work to bridge.

Youngsters under pressure, lessons for the future:

The match also provided valuable minutes to India’s younger players, including debutants who were thrown into a demanding international contest. With several established players unavailable, Crispin had already described the situation as an opportunity for the youngsters to make their case.

Rather than viewing their introduction as a risk, he wanted to see how they would respond when the pressure was at its highest.

One of his decisions was to introduce younger players after India had conceded three goals, giving them a chance to experience a difficult match situation rather than protecting them from it.

“I wouldn’t like to debut under such great pressure. But I think that’s how it is. Because if you want to develop a player, you have to put them under pressure. Then you see how they react,” he said.

The coach also believes the performances of these youngsters can create healthy competition within the squad. While he admitted that a coach always wants his best players available, he did not complain about the absence of those playing for their clubs.

Instead, he hopes the youngsters can use the opportunity to challenge for places in the team.

“Two, three young players did show their character. So now what happens is, those who didn’t come, now they are in trouble. Because if they start performing, then the competition becomes good. I am in trouble to select the players, that’s how I want to move forward,” Chettri said.

For India, that competition could be just as important as the result itself. The team needs greater depth, players capable of handling pressure and more options who can step into the international setup without a significant drop in performance.

Russia’s challenge and the road towards 2029:

Chettri was also clear that India would not abandon their approach after one heavy defeat. Rather than making drastic tactical changes ahead of the next match, he wants the team to continue playing in the same pattern while improving their ability to sustain it.

With limited time between fixtures, the immediate target is to carry the intensity shown in the opening stages deeper into the game. The next match will also offer another opportunity to test the younger players under pressure.

However, Chettri’s bigger ambition extends beyond these friendlies. He wants India to build towards the 2029 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, with qualification and long-term development taking priority over short-term results.

It was perhaps the clearest indication of how he views this phase of the team’s development. The defeat against Russia has highlighted areas that need improvement, but it has also given the coaching staff a better understanding of where the youngsters stand against international opposition.

The challenge now is to turn that experience into progress, particularly in fitness, technical execution and the speed of decision-making.

Yuri sees potential in India’s young side:

Russia head coach Yuri was satisfied with his team’s 4-0 victory, although he felt the performance improved considerably after the break. He explained that Russia needed time to adjust to the conditions, the pitch and their opponents before finding their rhythm.

“In the first half, it was not so successful because of the opponent. We had difficulties because we needed to get used to the pitch, to the ball and to the opponent,” Yuri said.

The Russian coach also acknowledged the quality and pace within India’s squad, particularly among the younger players. For him, facing a side with several young footballers was an important part of their development, even if the result did not go India’s way.

“Today, we lost, but it is a very important loss for the team in order to be better in the future,” he said, reflecting on India’s experience against Russia.

Yuri also expressed his appreciation for the welcome his team received in India and the atmosphere created by the supporters. Although the attendance was limited, he felt the fans responded well to the action on the pitch and the performances of the players.

The weather also played a role in the contest. With rain bringing cooler conditions to Kolkata, Yuri agreed that the change from the usual heat and humidity had an impact on the game and made it easier for his team to perform physically.

For Russia, the victory was a positive outcome. For India, the encounter offered a difficult but necessary measure of the level they must reach.

The scoreline cannot be ignored, but neither can the experience gained by a young Indian side against stronger opposition. Crispin’s next task is to ensure that the lessons from this defeat are carried into the next match on 11th and, more importantly, into the longer road towards 2029.