India’s U-18 Teams Eye Asia Cup Final Berths; Here’s What Their Coaches Had To Say Ahead Of The Semi-Finals

India’s U-18 Women’s and Men’s Hockey Teams are just one step away from the final of the Under-18 Asia Cup 2026. They have played really well in the pool stages in Kakamigahara, Japan.

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Both teams played attacking hockey and were consistent throughout the tournament. Now they are all geared up for the semi-final matches on June 5.

The women’s team will play against China, while the men’s will face Pakistan.

Indian Women Dominate Pool Stage

The Indian U-18 Women’s Hockey Team finished top of Pool A. They won all three of their matches and scored a total of 30 goals. Conceded just two throughout the group stage.

India started their campaign with a 2-1 win over Malaysia. They then beat Korea 3-1. They played their match so far, thrashing Singapore 25-0.

Nousheen Naz is India’s leading scorer with 10 goals right now. Geethasri Nammi scored five goals. Captain Sweety Kujur scored four goals, and Priyanka Minz added three goals.

India will now play against China, which finished second in Pool B with two wins and a draw.

Coach Rani Rampal On India U-18 Women’s Team

Rani Rampal, the coach of India U-18 Women’s Team, praised the team’s approach and mentality.

She said, “The journey so far has been fantastic. This is the first time these girls are playing in an international tournament, and they have stepped up to the occasion and performed brilliantly. We have approached this tournament one match at a time, and now our complete focus is on the Semi-Final against China. It does not matter what the opposition does; our priority is to play to our standards, play attacking hockey, and convert our chances.”

She concluded by saying, “The girls are very fit and coordinate well amongst themselves. They will fight hard for every ball, play to our strengths, capitalise on counter-attacks, and give their best to secure a place in the final.”

Indian Men Set For Pakistan Challenge

The Indian Under-18 Men’s Hockey Team finished second in Pool A. They won three out of four matches.

India started their campaign with a 13-0 win against Kazakhstan. Then they lost to Japan, but the team responded strongly with a 4-1 win over Korea. They sealed qualification with a 13-1 win over Chinese Taipei.

India has scored a total of 32 goals. Conceded six across four matches.

Captain Ketan Kushwaha is leading the score charts with seven goals. Ashish Tani Purti scored six goals. Gazee Khan and Shahrukh Ali each scored three goals.

Now, the upcoming semi-final against Pakistan seems to be a promising match.

Coach Sardar Singh on India U-18 Men’s Team

Sardar Singh, the coach of India U-18 Men’s Team, said they focused on improvement areas.

He said, “After playing four matches, we have identified the areas where we need to improve, especially penalty corner attack and defence. We have been working on these areas in separate groups with the defenders, midfielders, and forwards to ensure we are fully prepared.”

“The players now understand the demands of modern hockey and what it takes to win a tournament at this level. We want to start with the right energy and maintain it throughout the match. One of our biggest strengths is the unity within the team and the structure of our play. We want to continue playing disciplined hockey, trust our passing game, and allow our skilful players the freedom to express themselves in key situations,” he concluded.