Asian Champions Trophy: The Indian women’s hockey team defeated Japan 2-0 in the semis to make it to the final of the Women’s Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2024. Indian Women’s goal scorers were Navneet Kaur and Lalremsiami.
India scored two goals in the last quarter after losing more than a dozen penalty corners in the first three quarters to beat Japan 2-0 and enter the final of the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy on Tuesday where it will face China. After the first three quarters remained goalless, Navneet Kaur opened India’s account on a penalty stroke in the 48th minute while Lalremsiami scored the second goal on a brilliant pass from Sunelita Toppo in the 56th minute.
On the other hand, in the second semi-final, Paris Olympic silver medalist China defeated Malaysia 3-1. The Indian team, which defeated Japan 3-0 in the last group match, kept yearning for a goal till the 48th minute. India got 16 penalty corners in the entire match, but could not score a goal and this will be a cause of concern for coach Harendra Singh before the final against China on Sunday.
IND vs JAP, semi-final match of Asian Champions Trophy
Deepika was obstructed by a Japanese defender and got a penalty stroke in the second minute of the fourth quarter, which Navneet easily converted to dot India’s sixth goal. Five minutes before the final whistle, Lalremsiami created excitement among the huge crowd assembled at the Bihar Sports Complex Stadium by converting a precise pass from Sunelita from the right flank into a goal.
Read More
Japan got the only penalty corner of the match in the 59th minute, which Indian goalkeeper Bichhu Devi did not let convert into a goal. In the first two quarters of the match, the Indian team got nine penalty corners and the team also entered the Japanese circle 13 times, but could not score a goal.
The Indian team maintained supremacy over the Australian team in terms of ball possession, and the frustration of the coach standing near the dugout was there clearly as it was not taken to the finishing.
India started aggressively and created chances in the first few minutes itself. Captain Salima Tete had a golden opportunity in the tenth minute but she could not catch the ball from the left flank. In the next minute, India got its first penalty corner which Deepika, who has scored ten goals in this tournament, could not convert into a goal. The same story followed in the second penalty corner in the next minute.
It was 0-0 in the first fifteen minutes. India saw three consecutive penalty corners in the 18th and 19th minute of the second quarter, but Japan’s goalkeeper Yu Kudo has to be praised as he saved every shot coming at high speed very well. India’s veteran midfielder Neha Goyal showed a great game and took the ball inside the circle many times and also created penalty corners.
India received the fourth penalty corner of the third quarter in the 42nd minute but the push was weak as well and the Indian camp looked dispersed, hence success could not be achieved once more. In the last minute of this quarter, India received their 13th penalty corner, Udita’s direct shot was saved by the Japanese goalkeeper by advancing her right foot forward.
ALSO READ: Asian Champions Trophy: IND Roars High Before Semi’s, Beating JAP 3-0
