In a distressing turn of events for the Indian women's football team, captain Sweety Devi and goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu were hospitalised following a severe collision during their final AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 group match. The incident occurred in the 83rd minute against Chinese Taipei at the Western Sydney Stadium. As Panthoi charged off her line to intercept an attack, she collided heavily with Sweety Devi, leaving both players prone on the turf. Medical staff intervened immediately, and both were stretchered off the field before being transported to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.
Sweety Devi, Panthoi Chanu stretchered off after brutal on-field collision
The physical toll of the collision was significant, with Panthoi sustaining massive facial swelling after being struck by her teammate's knee. Sweety Devi briefly remained motionless on the ground following the impact, causing immediate concern for the players and staff. In an official statement, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed that Elangbam Panthoi Chanu and Sweety Devi Nganbam were under medical care and that the team is currently awaiting a full assessment to determine the severity of their injuries.
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This injury-marred 1-3 defeat marked the end of a difficult campaign for India, who exited the continental tournament without a point following earlier losses to Vietnam and Japan. Despite dominating large portions of the final fixture and creating several scoring opportunities, Blue Tigresses struggled with clinical finishing in the final third. The early exit is particularly stinging given that the squad had qualified for the tournament on merit for the first time in over two decades, only to see their journey cut short by both clinical opponents and a tragic injury crisis in the closing minutes.
“Panthoi Chanu Elangbam and Sweety Devi Ngangbam have been taken to hospital after sustaining injuries during today’s match. Further assessment is awaited,” an AIFF statement read.
India knocked out of AFC Women's Asian Cup
Talking about the match, India faced a premature exit from the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 following their recent loss to Chinese Taipei. Entering their final Group C fixture, the Blue Tigresses were under immense pressure to secure a victory by at least a two-goal margin to keep their knockout hopes alive. This high-stakes requirement followed a difficult start to the tournament, which began with a narrow 2-1 defeat to Vietnam and was compounded by a heavy 11-0 loss at the hands of a dominant Japanese side.
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Despite showing flashes of attacking intent throughout the group stage, the mathematical mountain proved too high to climb for the world No. 67 side. The inability to secure points in those opening matches meant that even a simple win against Chinese Taipei would not have been enough to guarantee progression. Ultimately, the 3-1 defeat confirmed India's position at the bottom of the table, ending their first appearance in the continental showpiece since 2003 and closing the door on their path to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.