Kolkata, 9 October 2026: India’s women’s national football team lost 0–4 to Russia in a rain-affected international friendly at Kishore Bharati Krirangan on Thursday evening. The October 8 match was the first women’s international staged in Kolkata, and coach Crispin Chettri gave six players their India debuts. The teams are scheduled to meet again on October 11.
Key points
- Russia defeated India 4–0 in Kolkata’s first women’s international football match on October 8.
- After Iana Sheina’s opener, substitute Kira Petukhova scored twice before Iana Svistunova completed the visitors’ victory.
- Six India players made senior international debuts, with another friendly against Russia scheduled for October 11.
How the match unfolded
India, ranked 69th in the FIFA women’s standings in the federation’s match report, faced a Russia side ranked 27th. The home team maintained its shape for much of the opening half, even as Russia dominated possession. Monalisha Devi Moirangthem, making her first start and earning her third international cap, made saves to keep India within reach. India’s Malavika P and Lynda Kom Serto also had promising moments without scoring.
The visitors broke through late in the first half. Iana Sheina found the bottom corner just before the interval, leaving India one goal behind at half-time. The official All India Football Federation match summary records the opening goal at the 41st minute, with its narrative describing the finish around the 40th.
Heavy rain complicated the second half. Kira Petukhova, introduced as a substitute, capitalised on a rebound in the 60th minute after Monalisha parried a long-range attempt. Petukhova struck again five minutes later when India could not clear the ball. Iana Svistunova added Russia’s fourth in the 81st minute. The scoreline reflects the visitors’ stronger second-half performance, not an absence of effort by India’s defenders and goalkeeper.
What the six debuts mean
Head coach Crispin Chettri gave first international appearances to Babysana Devi Thingbaijam, Malati Munda, Cindy Colney, Shubhangi Singh, Dhurga Perumal and Sibani Devi Nongmeikapam. Their involvement provided senior-level experience against a higher-ranked opponent. It should not be interpreted as proof that any individual has secured a regular starting role.
The match also gave India’s coaching staff a chance to examine defensive organisation, changes in wet conditions and opportunities to advance the ball under pressure. Monalisha’s saves and India’s first-half resistance were encouraging passages, but the defeat exposed a sustained gap in possession and attacking opportunities. Those are observations from the reported match, not predictions about the outcome of the rematch.
Why it matters
India’s national team is building its player pool, and friendlies offer an opportunity to test new combinations without making claims about tournament results. The October 11 fixture is a separate match; its team selection and final score remain unknown. Readers who saw our October 8 match preview now have a verified final result and confirmed scorers. Additional results appear in our Sports section.
Sources
- All India Football Federation, official match report, 8 October 2026
- Asian Football Confederation, result report, 9 October 2026
- Press Trust of India via NDTV, 8 October 2026
Representative image; not a photograph of the reported India–Russia match or Kishore Bharati Krirangan. Empty football stadium photograph by Peter Steiner, Pexels, used under the Pexels License; image resized/compressed without editorial alteration. A suitable freely licensed actual-match photograph was not verified during image research.
Editorial disclosure: Original AI-assisted drafting based on dated AIFF match evidence, AFC reporting and independent coverage. No claim of eyewitness reporting or personally witnessing the game is made.
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