The Indian women’s team loses to Ukrainian club FC Metalist in a friendly match

The Indian women’s football team lost 0-2 to Ukrainian club FC Metalist 1925 Kharkiv in their first friendly match at the Emirhan Sport Center in Manavgat, Turkiye on Sunday.

The ten-time record champions of the Ukrainian Women’s Top League struck twice in the second half through Lydia Zaborovets (60′) and Lesia Olkhova (90+3′), both senior internationals of the Ukrainian national team, to take the win.

India arrived in Turkiye on January 15 to play friendlies as part of preparations for March’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026. The Blue Tigers will then take on the Swiss teams FC Zurich Frauen (January 21) and FC Schlieren (January 24).

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India had played the Ukrainian national team in a FIFA friendly in 2021, also in Turkiye, where the European side emerged victorious 3-2. Pyari Xaxa and Manisha Kalyan scored for India.

Ukraine was then coached by Natalia Zinchenko, the current head coach of FC Metalist 1925.

Published on January 18, 2026