Manisha Kalyan’s thunderbolt free-kick earns ‘Goal of Tournament’ shout amid India’s heartbreak: Ronaldo will like that

Manisha Kalyan stole the spotlight with a spectacular long-range free kick amid India's heartbreaking exit from AFC Women’s Asian Cup

Published on: Mar 11, 2026, 08:14:37 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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India suffered heartbreak in Sydney on Tuesday as a 1–3 defeat to Chinese Taipei ended their AFC Women’s Asian Cup campaign in a must-win final group-stage match. However, winger Manisha Kalyan stole the spotlight with a spectacular long-range free kick.

India's Manisha Kalyan fires a shot into the net to score during the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 football match between India and Taiwan (AFP)

Trailing 0–1 in the 39th minute, Manisha unleashed a thunderous strike from nearly 30 yards out that curled viciously and crashed off the crossbar. The ball bounced back into play, leaving players briefly uncertain about whether it had crossed the line.

Manisha immediately signalled for a VAR check, confident she had scored. Replays confirmed that the ball had struck the underside of the crossbar before bouncing over the line, bringing India level.

The commentator was quick to label it the “goal of the tournament”, adding that Manisha’s favourite footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, “will surely like that.”

Despite the stunning equaliser, Chinese Taipei regained control before the break. In the closing minutes of the first half, Y. Y. Hsu’s effort struck the post and deflected off goalkeeper Elangbam Panthoi Chanu before rolling into the net.

Chinese Taipei had earlier taken the lead in the 12th minute when Y. H. Su capitalised on a poor back pass from Sanju to slot the ball into an empty net after intercepting the move ahead of J. W. Chen.

The final blow came in the 77th minute when Yu-Chin Chen finished off a run down the right flank to beat Panthoi and seal the result.

The 3–1 defeat confirmed India’s exit from the tournament. The Blue Tigresses had earlier lost to Vietnam and Japan, leaving them needing a victory by at least two goals against Chinese Taipei while also hoping Japan would defeat Vietnam.

Although Japan did their part with a 4–0 win over Vietnam, India were unable to deliver the required result.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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