China’s U17 women’s national team secured a dominant 3-0 victory over India in the quarterfinals of the 2026 AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup on Tuesday night at Suzhou Sports Center Stadium. The win not only propelled China into the semifinals but also guaranteed them a spot at the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to take place in Morocco from October to November.
Having topped Group A with three consecutive wins, scoring 15 goals without conceding a single one, China entered the knockout stage as the tournament’s most formidable side. Their opponents, India, advanced from Group B as one of the best third-placed teams after beating Lebanon 4-0, following losses to Australia and Japan.
China controlled the match from the outset. In the 38th minute, Liu Yuxi delivered a precise cross from the right flank, setting up Huang Qinyi for a simple tap-in to open the scoring. During first-half stoppage time, Liu Yuxi was fouled inside the box, earning a penalty that she coolly converted to double the lead.
India’s defense tightened in the second half, frustrating China’s attack for much of the period. However, just before full time, Li Qixian latched onto a well-timed pass to slot home the third goal, sealing the 3-0 triumph.
With the victory, China sets up a semifinal clash against North Korea, while Japan will face Australia in the other last-four matchup. Indian head coach Kunti had described China as “extremely strong” ahead of the game, and the result proved her assessment accurate.
Despite facing a dogged Indian defense that caused some difficulties, China’s overall performance underlined their status as one of the tournament’s leading contenders for the title.
