India’s winning streak ends with loss to Iran

The Indian football team’s four-match winning streak ended with a 2-0 loss against the Islamic Republic in the first game of the Tri-Nation Women’s International Friendlies 2025 in Shillong on Tuesday.

Part of the October FIFA Women’s International Match Window, the football match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium saw world No. 63 India enjoy long spells of possession in the first half. However, substitute Sara Didar (64’, 74’) proved to be the difference in the second half and set up an Iran victory.

Iran looked threatening from the start and missed a few scoring opportunities in the first 15 minutes.

A routine cross in the fourth minute was fumbled by Elangbam Panthoi Chanu, allowing Fatemeh Shaban Ghohrood to pounce on the loose ball. Only a desperate clearance from Phanjoubam Nirmala Devi prevented Iran from taking the lead.

The game followed the same pattern till the half-hour mark as the Indian defence denied Iran any early advantage.

Iran were composed, physically superior on the ball, and dictated the rhythm of the game almost from the outset. They grew in confidence, stringing together flowing moves, while India struggled to build anything meaningful in the final third.

Iran's persistence paid off in the 64th minute. Melika Motevaliitaher floated in a precise cross from the right, and India’s backline switched off.

An unmarked Zahra Ghanbari rose to head against the crossbar. The ball fell kindly for Sara Didar, also unmarked, who acrobatically smashed home the rebound.

In the 74th minute, Nongmaithem Ratanbala Devi misjudged the bounce of a routine clearance at the top of the box, allowing Didar to snatch the ball.

The forward showed no hesitation, rifling a low strike past Panthoi to make it 2-0 and break Indian resistance again.

The first real test of Iran goalkeeper Raha Yazdani came only in the 89th minute, when Lynda Kom Serto’s low free-kick was parried away.

The visitors even came close to adding a third in stoppage time, with Ghohrood racing down the left and rattling the post. By then, the match had long slipped away from India, who play their next game against Nepal on Monday. Iran will meet Nepal on Friday.

This was the first defeat for the Blue Tigresses in five matches. India beat Mongolia (13-0), Timor-Leste (4–0), Iraq (5-0) and Thailand (2-1) in Chiang Mai to qualify for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup earlier this year.

The friendly matches against Iran and Nepal form a key part of the Indian women’s football team’s build-up to the AFC Asian Cup 2026 in Australia.

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