Sydney, March 10: Indian football team captain Sweety Devi and goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu were taken to a hospital after getting injured during the side’s 1-3 defeat to Chinese Taipei in their last group league fixture of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup here on Tuesday.
The defeat ended India’s campaign in the prestigious continental tournament, having lost their first two matches to Vietnam and Japan.
“Elangbam Panthoi Chanu and Sweety Devi Nganbam have been taken to hospital after sustaining injuries during today’s match. Further assessment is awaited,” the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said in a statement.
The two Indian stars got injured in the 83rd minute when Panthoi charged out to stop a Chinese Taipei attack and collided with her teammate Sweety Devi. Both players were stretchered off the field.
Panthoi suffered a massive swelling on her face after being struck by Sweety’s knee, while the latter briefly remained motionless on the ground before medical staff intervened.
Both players were taken to a nearby hospital soon after the incident for further tests, after which the severity of the injuries will be known.In the match, despite dominating large portions of the game and creating numerous opportunities, India’s inability to convert chances in the final third proved costly, leading to an early exit after they qualified for the tournament on merit for the first time. (PTI)
