India have never scored against Russia’s women, and Sunday’s 8-0 in Kolkata makes it 22 conceded in four meetings

India have now played Russia’s women four times. They have not scored once, and on Sunday at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata they conceded eight, three days after losing the first of the two friendlies 4-0. That makes it 22 goals against and none for across the four meetings.

Russia, ranked 27th in the world to India’s 69th, were 5-0 up at half-time. Darina Ishmukhametova, Marine Achoian and Natalia Mashina scored two each, and Daiana Kishmakhova and Elizaveta Semenova got the others.

Five goals in 25 minutes

Crispin Chettri made five changes from Thursday’s side, bringing in Shubhangi Singh, Mousumi Murmu, Renu, Dhurga Perumal and Priyadharshini Selladurai. Ranjana Chanu Sorokhaibam captained the team, and Monalisha Devi Moirangthem kept her place in goal.

It went wrong in the 21st minute. Ksenia Dolgova crossed low from the left, Monalisha could not hold it, and Ishmukhametova scored from the rebound. Four minutes later Achoian picked up a loose ball about 30 yards out, ran at the defence and hit a right-footed shot into the top corner. On 29 minutes Achoian turned provider, threading a pass through for Kishmakhova to finish at the near post.

Juli Kishan brought down Kira Petukhova in the box three minutes before the break, and Ishmukhametova scored the penalty. Then, in first-half stoppage time, India gave the ball away on the right, Ishmukhametova intercepted it, and Achoian made it five.

A debut in goal

Chettri changed goalkeepers at half-time, and Nandini came on for her first senior cap. It was a hard way to start. Four minutes after the restart Mashina intercepted a loose pass from Cindy Colney, ran through and beat Nandini one on one. A minute later Mashina was unmarked in the box after a poor clearance and put her second through the keeper’s legs.

Semenova scored the eighth on 74 minutes with a low shot into the bottom corner after a long throw. Russia did not score again.

What India take from Kolkata

Half of the eight goals came from a goalkeeping error or India giving the ball away cheaply at the back. That is the bit Chettri will find hardest to watch back. Russia are better than India, nobody disputes that, but a gap in quality does not explain handing them the ball near your own box again and again.

There is some context. Chettri has used these two games to look at under-20 and development players. Six players won first caps on Thursday, and some first-choice players were missing because of club commitments with East Bengal. India also have not played a competitive match since winning the SAFF Women’s Championship in June. Even so, 12 goals conceded across two games is a heavy return. Chettri is building towards the next Women’s Asian Cup, and the better sides there are likely to be every bit as sharp as this Russia team.

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