India, May 1 -- "We have respect for all teams. But we are not afraid." Pamela Conti spoke slowly, but hours before India start against Australia in the 2026 AFC under-17 Women's Asian Cup, there was no mistaking the conviction in her voice.

Yes, the gap is big; two teams in India's group are among the best in the world in the women's game. And, yes, India are back at this level after 21 years. Appointed head coach in January, the former Italy international acknowledged all that in an interview to HT from Suzhou, the eastern China city hosting the 12-team finals, on Friday. "And, you can't build a team in three months. But we can compete."

The key to that is to try and play, enjoy the tournament and not worry about the results, said Con...