Women's soccer team goalkeeper Aditi to miss Asian Cup qualifiers

Kolkata: India and West Ham Ladies goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan will miss the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers starting next month due a anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury she picked up while playing recently.

Aditi, who is the first female Indian to play for an English club, re-joined West Ham who play in the Premier League, the third division of the women's pyramid last year after she took up a job with the Loughborough University.

It was reliably learnt that the Delhi girl will take time to recuperate and won't be ready in time for the tournament.

India eves won their fourth consecutive ASAFF Women's Football Championship title in January beating Bangladesh 3-1 in the final. The females in blue are unbeaten in 19 matches having won 18 and drawn one.

The camp for the Asian Cup qualifiers is underway but sans first choice keeper Chauhan would be a tough task against the likes of South Korea, Uzbekistan, Hong Kong and North Korea in Group B.

India take on DPR Korea in their opening fixture on April 3.