Manisha Kalyan's Breathtaking Free Kick Earns 'Goal of Tournament' Accolade Amid India's Heartbreak
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India suffered a heartbreaking 1–3 defeat to Chinese Taipei in their final group-stage match of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, ending their campaign in Sydney on Tuesday.
However, winger Manisha Kalyan stole the spotlight with a spectacular long-range free kick that earned her the 'Goal of the Tournament' shout.
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.
Despite the stunning equaliser, Chinese Taipei regained control before the break and sealed the result with a 3–1 victory.
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, having earlier lost to Vietnam and Japan.
