The Indian women’s football team announced their arrival at the 2026 SAFF Women’s Championship in dominant fashion, hammering Maldives 11-0 in their Group B opener at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa.
Led by a sensational four-goal performance from Aveka Singh, the Blue Tigresses completely outclassed the Maldives from the opening whistle and registered one of the biggest victories in tournament history.
India, ranked 69th in the FIFA Women’s Rankings, dominated possession and attacking play against the 167th-ranked Maldives. The hosts opened the scoring in the 11th minute through Priyangka Devi Naorem, who marked her return from injury with a clinical finish. She doubled the lead just six minutes later as India quickly took control of the contest.
Forward Pyari Xaxa added the third in the 28th minute before Aveka Singh began her scoring spree with a strike in the 34th minute. Just before halftime, captain Grace Dangmei found the net to give India a commanding 5-0 advantage at the break.
The second half turned into an attacking exhibition for the hosts. Karishma Shirvoikar scored twice, while Sangita Basfore also got on the scoresheet. Aveka Singh continued to torment the Maldives defence with three more goals in the 66th, 70th and 86th minutes to complete a memorable four-goal haul.
India’s 11-0 triumph was their biggest SAFF Women’s Championship win since defeating Afghanistan 12-0 back in 2014.
The emphatic victory gives the five-time champions a massive boost in Group B as they prepare for tougher challenges ahead, including a crucial clash against defending champions Bangladesh.
Match Score
India 11-0 Maldives
Goal Scorers
Priyangka Devi Naorem – 11’, 17’
Pyari Xaxa – 28’
Aveka Singh – 34’, 66’, 70’, 86’
Grace Dangmei – 40’
Karishma Shirvoikar – 53’, 68’
Sangita Basfore – 60’
Key Highlights
Aveka Singh scored four goals and provided two assists
India registered one of their biggest-ever SAFF Women’s Championship wins
Priyangka Naorem scored twice on her comeback after ACL recovery
Blue Tigresses began their home campaign with a dominant clean sheet
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