From the Brink to Triumph: How India’s Futsal Tigresses Engineered a Stunning 12-Minute Revolution Against Pakistan 

In a thrilling display of resilience and tactical daring, the Indian women’s futsal team staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Pakistan 5-4 in the SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship 2026. Despite dominating early possession, India found themselves trailing 3-1 after Pakistan scored twice in quick succession midway through the second half. Facing defeat, coach Joshuah Vaz implemented a high-risk power play, substituting the goalkeeper for an extra outfield player, which sparked a stunning 12-minute revival. The gamble paid off magnificently as India erupted for four goals, with Diti Kanungo scoring the decisive late brace, to transform a two-goal deficit into a victory that propelled them to the top of the tournament table and showcased their growing mental fortitude and strategic depth on the international stage.

From the Brink to Triumph: How India’s Futsal Tigresses Engineered a Stunning 12-Minute Revolution Against Pakistan 

In the high-octane, unforgiving world of international futsal, where a single defensive lapse can be catastrophic and momentum shifts in the blink of an eye, the Indian women’s team authored a chapter for the ages on January 19, 2026. Their 5-4 victory over Pakistan in the SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship wasn’t just a win; it was a narrative masterpiece of resilience, tactical audacity, and raw mental fortitude. Trailing 3-1 against a determined Pakistani side, the Futsal Tigresses didn’t just claw back—they unleashed a four-goal blitz in the final 12 minutes, a spellbinding display that announced their arrival as genuine contenders and showcased the soaring potential of women’s futsal in the subcontinent. 

The Stage Was Set For a Classic 

Held at the Nonthaburi Stadium in Thailand, this fixture carried the weight of historic rivalry, amplified by the tournament’s tight standings. Under coach Joshuah Vaz, India had shown flashes of brilliance mixed with vulnerability. Pakistan, led by the formidable Kayanat Bokhari, were a well-organized unit capable of clinical counter-attacks. From the first whistle, India’s intent was clear: dominate possession and unleash shots from distance. Arya More, Mithila Ramani, and Pooja Gupta tested the air early, but it was a lesson in futsal efficiency that struck first. Against the run of play, Pakistan’s captain Bokhari, with her side’s first meaningful attack, unleashed a pristine first-time strike from 10 metres that nestled into the top corner. The early setback was a gut-punch, but it revealed a key theme: India’s possession dominance was not yielding precision. 

The equalizer from Arya More in the 14th minute, a smart left-footed finish after persistent pressure, seemed to right the ship. Yet, what followed was a period that could have broken many teams. The game opened into a thrilling, end-to-end battle. Keepers Zeeyana Jivraj for Pakistan and India’s Aiswarya Arumugam became pivotal, making point-blank saves that kept the scoreline level. India’s reliance on long-range efforts began to look like a frustrating pattern, with Jivraj growing in stature as a formidable last line of defense. 

The Storm Before the Comeback: A Frantic Four-Minute Collapse 

The second half began with India pushing, but the decisive shift seemed to swing tragically against them. In a nightmarish sequence between the 26th and 27th minutes, India’s defensive structure momentarily dissolved. Azwa Chaudhry’s opportunistic turn-and-finish into an empty net capitalized on a risky goalkeeper advance. Before the Indian players could regroup, a saved shot from Bokhari fell kindly to an unmarked Anmol Hira, who made it 3-1. The scoreboard told a brutal story: Pakistan had scored twice from minimal chances, while India’s barrage of shots had yielded just one goal. A sense of desperation, mixed with the looming shadow of a costly defeat, hung thick in the air. 

This moment, however, is where the match transformed from a simple sports report into a case study in tactical courage and team spirit. Coach Joshuah Vaz’s decision was immediate and bold: the power play. Goalkeeper Tanvi Mavani was substituted for an outfield player, the dynamic Diti Kanungo. This high-risk, high-reward strategy—sacrificing a dedicated goalkeeper for a numerical outfield advantage—is the ultimate all-or-nothing gambit in futsal. 

The Gambit That Sparked a Revolution 

The introduction of the power play wasn’t just a change of personnel; it was a psychological declaration. India were not playing for a respectable loss; they were going for the win. The impact was electric and almost instantaneous. 

• The Lifeline (28’): Diti Kanungo, now acting as the flying keeper, turned provider. Finding Ritika Singh on the left flank, her perfectly weighted pass was met with a ruthless first-time strike from a seemingly impossible angle. 3-2. Hope flickered. 

• The Equalizer (29’): Then came the turnover that changed the game’s DNA. Ritika Singh, embodying the new aggressive press, dispossessed the dangerous Bokhari herself in the final third. Her shot was saved, but Khushbu Saroj, following with predatory instinct, smashed in the rebound. 3-3. From despair to delirium in 60 seconds. 

Pakistan, suddenly under siege, found their earlier composure rattled. The Indian players, sensing blood, moved with a unified fury. Jivraj continued her heroics, making staggering saves to keep Pakistan alive, but the dam was cracking. The pressure was now a physical force. 

Sealing a Legacy in the Final Three Minutes 

The winning goal, when it came, was a blend of individual brilliance and intelligent positioning. Arya More’s driven low shot from distance was not aiming for the net but for chaos. Diti Kanungo, stationed with ingenious awareness beside the post, offered the faintest, most deliberate of deflections, wrong-footing Jivraj and sending the ball into the net. For the first time in the entire contest, India led: 4-3. 

Pakistan, throwing everything forward, left themselves exposed. In the dying seconds, another costly turnover—this time Khushbu robbing Bokhari—sealed their fate. Khushbu unselfishly squared to Diti Kanungo, who tapped into an empty net for her sixth tournament goal, cementing her place as a joint-top scorer and the architect of this incredible comeback. 

Beyond the Scoreline: The Human Insight 

This victory offers more than just three points. It reveals the maturing mentality of Indian women’s futsal. 

• Mental Resilience: To recover from the double-sucker-punch of conceding two quick goals required monumental character. This wasn’t a lucky win; it was a earned through sheer will. 

• Tactic Trust: The team’s flawless execution of the power play scenario speaks volumes about coaching preparation and player buy-in. They practiced this high-pressure scenario, and when it mattered most, they delivered. 

• Shared Burden of Heroism: While Diti Kanungo’s brace and assist will grab headlines, this was a symphony of contributions: Ritika Singh’s relentless press and goal, Arya More’s persistent threat, Khushbu Saroj’s crucial equalizer and assist, and the collective shift in intensity after going 3-1 down. 

• A Statement to the Region: Going top of the table after this win sends a powerful message to rivals like Bangladesh. It proves India can win even when not at their fluid best, finding a way through grit and tactical bravery. 

For Pakistan, it will be a heartbreak laced with lessons. They were minutes away from a monumental win, undone by lapses in concentration against an opponent that never stopped believing. Bokhari’s excellence and Jivraj’s goalkeeping display nonetheless signal their own growing threat in the competition. 

Conclusion: More Than Just a Game 

The SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship 2026 will have many moments, but India’s comeback win over Pakistan will stand apart. It was a 40-minute drama encapsulating the very essence of sport: despair, hope, risk, and ultimate triumph. For the players, it’s a memory that will define careers. For fans, it’s a testament to the thrilling, unpredictable beauty of futsal. And for the growth of women’s sport in India, it is a powerful, resonant echo that says, regardless of the score or the clock, this team has the heart to fight until the very last second. The Futsal Tigresses didn’t just win a match; they forged an identity.