New Delhi, July 29 : India senior women's team coach Crispin Chettri labelled the Blue Tigresses' group in the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 an 'interesting and tricky' one. India were placed in Group C with Japan, Vietnam, and Chinese Taipei in the draw ceremony at the Sydney Town Hall on Tuesday.

"I think we have a very interesting, and at the same time, a tricky group. Japan is the cream of Asia. Vietnam and Chinese Taipei are good sides, and we can compete with them and aim for favourable results," Chettri told the-aiff.com from Australia after the draw.

Midfielder Sangita Basfore had the privilege of being one of the draw assistants and picked out the ball containing her nation. After delicately unrolling the paper and displaying it to the camera, she proudly said 'India!' in an assertive voice as her eyes beamed with pride.

After all, this was the first time India had earned their place at the Women's Asian Cup on merit via the qualifiers pathway. And no other woman deserved to be at that stage than Sangita, whose sensational brace in the last match against Thailand punched India's ticket to Australia.

"The whole experience at the draw here in Sydney was really special for me. I got to see and even touch the trophy, which felt amazing. I got goosebumps at the stage. The biggest highlight was visiting Stadium Australia in Sydney. The moment I stepped onto that ground, it felt like the match was about to begin," said Sangita.

Coach Chettri concurred, "It has been a great experience here in Sydney. There are a lot of takeaways from this. Representing the country at this level is surreal."

India, currently ranked 70th, will begin their campaign against Vietnam (ranked 37th) on March 4, 2026, in Perth, before meeting Japan (ranked 7th) on March 7, also in Perth, and Chinese Taipei (ranked 42nd) on March 10 in Sydney.

The three opponents are no strangers to the Blue Tigresses, who have played against each of them in recent years. India suffered a narrow loss to Chinese Taipei in the Asian Games, but also defeated them in a friendly in 2021. Vietnam and Japan defeated the Blue Tigresses in the Olympic Qualifiers in 2023. Despite the opponents being higher-ranked, Chettri and Sangita are confident of a tight battle to qualify for the quarter-finals, especially against Vietnam and Chinese Taipei, who have had many closely-contested games with India in the past.

"We've already played against Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, and Japan in the past, so I know from experience that we can definitely compete with them. At no point did I feel that we couldn't beat them. We couldn't win earlier due to some mistakes, but we'll work on those. Our coach is with us, guiding us on the small details, what to do, and what to avoid. Based on that, we'll plan our next steps and give our best," said Sangita.

Chettri said, "They are all tough teams, and that's what you expect at a stage like the Asian Cup. As the Odisha FC coach, I faced clubs from these three countries in the AFC Women's Champions League last season, and that was a massive learning experience for me. I am quite familiar with how they play and what to expect from them."

While the Asian stage is a grand one, the Blue Tigresses have firmly set their eyes on scaling an even higher peak ' FIFA Women's World Cup qualification. And with the AFC Women's Asian Cup offering six direct and two indirect slots for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, this is an opportunity they want to grasp with both hands.

"Our target has always been to reach Brazil and play in the World Cup, to feel the World Cup experience. Now, we are just one step away. We have to prove ourselves in Australia, represent the national team, and carry our flag forward. The goal is to perform well game by game and qualify for the World Cup," said Sangita.

With 218 days to go for India's opening match against Vietnam at the Perth Rectangular Stadium, the groundwork has already begun, and each day is going to count.

"Now that we know our opponents, we have to choose our friendly matches wisely and prepare well. Staying together as a unit and working hard in the camps will go a long way in helping us prepare to face the best teams in Asia and target World Cup qualification," said Crispin.

Sangita added, "With the time we have now, we should be playing matches against higher-ranked teams, so we can be ready for next March. When we face those three teams in the Asian Cup, it will be easier for us to judge their game and play with confidence. Exposure to stronger teams will be a great opportunity and will help us build belief going into the tournament."

/IANS