Suzhou, May 12 : Tears flowed across one dugout at the Suzhou Sports Centre Stadium after the final whistle. Several Indian players dropped to the ground in disappointment; others stood frozen in silence, while coaches and teammates moved around trying to console one another. India had come within one match of a historic FIFA U17 Womenâ??s World Cup qualification, and the pain of seeing that dream slip away was visible on every face after the 0-3 quarter-final defeat against hosts China on Monday.

â??It is hard for me to speak because we did not expect this result,â?? said India centre-back Abhista Basnett after the match, as quoted by AIFF. â??We came into the match with a different mentality, but football is like that sometimes. Still, I am happy and proud of the way we performed throughout the tournament and the unity we showed as a team. It is sad that we were just one step away from our dream, but I am really proud of this team.â??

Indiaâ??s campaign in the AFC U17 Womenâ??s Asian Cup China 2026 ultimately ended in the quarter-finals, but it still marked the countryâ??s best-ever performance in the tournament. India women became the first-ever Indian team to make the quarter-finals at the U17 womenâ??s level.

For head coach Pamela Conti, the disappointment after the China match stemmed not only from the result but also from the manner in which the goals were conceded.

â??It was a match where China were superior to us. They had more strength and deserved to win,â?? said Conti. â??But what really frustrates me is that we conceded in the 45th minute and again at the 90th minute, when I had reminded the players to stay focused during the final minutes of each half, because concentration drops the most at this age. That is what disappointed me.â??

China took the lead in the 38th minute before adding another through a stoppage-time penalty at the end of the first half. India battled hard after the break but conceded once more in the final minute of regulation time.

Despite the defeat, Conti looked back at the overall tournament with immense pride, especially considering the calibre of opponents India faced throughout the competition. India faced Australia and Japan in the group stage, both of whom made it to the semi-finals and qualified for the World Cup.

â??I think we have to be proud of these players. Personally, I am very proud of the tournament we had. We played against three of the four semi-finalists, including China, at their home. Regardless, I have these girls in my heart because they made me live a truly beautiful experience here in this tournament.â??

India had returned to the AFC U17 Womenâ??s Asian Cup after a gap of 21 years and scripted history by qualifying for the quarter-finals with a commanding 4-0 victory over Lebanon in the final group match. That result had left them just one win away from becoming the first Indian womenâ??s team to qualify for a FIFA World Cup on merit.

Abhista felt the disappointment after reaching such a stage also reflected how far the team had come during the campaign.

â??Yes, it is a huge achievement,â?? the 15-year-old said. â??After so many years, we became the first batch to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup. As I said, I am very, very proud of this team. We worked together for a long time, and our bond became like a family. Now we are looking forward to our next journey and to performing even better.â??

Conti, who took charge of the team in January, emphasised that the tournament had given the players a crucial understanding of the level required to compete among Asiaâ??s elite.

â??What I told them in the dressing room after the game was that now they know the level in Asia and what it takes to compete here. They must continue working very hard because there is no other path to success apart from hard work.â??

India fielded one of the youngest squads in the tournament, with several players born in 2010 and 2011 in an event meant for the 2009 age group. In the starting XI against China, only two players â?? Elizabed Lakra and Divyani Linda â?? were born in 2009. Overall, only nine of the 23 players in the squad were 2009-borns, and while this marked the end of their U17 journey, the next step in their journey would be to compete for a spot in the U20 squad.

The remaining 14 players would still be eligible for the next AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup 2027 in Suzhou again, with the qualifiers scheduled for October later this year.

Converting the U17 Asian Cups for both men and women from a biennial event to an annual one has been a welcome move from the Asian Football Confederation. It allows younger players to be exposed to top-level competition on the continent at their age group, while also offering a chance to reach the World Cup every year.

â??Every year, they will have the opportunity to play against the best teams in Asia. This is a very young team, and they have a lot to give. But the most important thing is that they now understand the level here," said Conti.

For many players, the tournament also marked the end of a journey together that had lasted more than a year through SAFF competitions, international friendlies and prolonged national camps.

â??We were all like one family and one group of friends,â?? Abhista reflected. â??We shared so many good moments together. We have been together for more than a year now, through the SAFF tournaments, friendlies and this Asian Cup. So it will be very hard for all of us to say goodbye.

â??Representing the country at such a big stage after 21 years was already a very special feeling for me. I learnt a lot from every match, not just from my own mistakes, but also by playing with teams like Japan, Australia and China. Those lessons will help me in the future.

â??Off the pitch too, I learned about discipline, behaviour, communication and showing respect to everyone. Overall, this tournament was a great experience for me. We created history by reaching the quarter-finals, even though we were just one step away from our dream.â??

And while the World Cup dream ended in Suzhou, the Young Tigresses believe this is only the beginning of a longer journey.

â??Yes, it is not the end. Right now, we are focused on what comes next because we cannot change the past. We just want to keep working harder so that next time we can turn the dream into reality," Abhista concluded.

/IANS