The last round of matches of the Super 4s stage of the women’s Hockey Asia Cup were played in Hangzhou on Saturday (September 13). India took on Japan in the opening match of the day, before China and South Korea squared off later in the evening.
India took an early lead against Japan but failed to increase their tally despite dominating proceedings for much of the encounter. The Japanese stunned Harendra Singh’s team with a late equaliser against the run of play, with both teams splitting points.
In the second match of the day, China and Korea played out a fast and exciting encounter with the home side prevailing with a 1-0 scoreline in their last Super 4s game of the women’s hockey Asia Cup.
Beauty Dung-Dung gave India the lead in the 7th minute after the Indians displayed their attacking intent early on.
Mumtaz Khan, who has been outstanding throughout the competition, won her side a penalty corner at the end of the opening quarter. The Indians failed to convert the short corner but continued to trouble the Japanese defence early in the second quarter.
The Indian defence kept the Japanese strikers at bay, not allowing a single shot on target in the opening half, barring a strike from a penalty corner which was well saved by Bichu Devi.
With a burst of energy, Lalremsiami sprinted past a couple of defenders and unleashed a shot from the edge of the circle, which beat the Japanese goalkeeper in the 38th minute.
India’s joy was short-lived as the on-field umpire ruled that the shot was taken from just outside the circle, which was upheld by the video umpire and confirmed on the replay.
A minute later, the ball was in the Japanese goal yet again, but did not count since the penalty corner slap shot was too high and did not sound the backboard.
The Japanese strikers began to display an increased sense of urgency in the final quarter since the team needed a win to progress to the finals, but the Indian deep defence refused to allow their opponents easy access to the attacking circle.
The Indians failed to score despite manufacturing a flurry of penalty corners in the final quarter. After taking off their goalkeeper in the 57th minute, Japan launched a swift foray, stunning the Indians with an equaliser a minute later.
As a result of the 1-1 draw, the Indians had to await the outcome of the China-Korea game to determine their position in the Super 4s pool of the women’s hockey Asia Cup.
As it turned out, the Chinese maintained their unbeaten streak to top the pool while India finished second.
Japan and Korea will play Sunday’s bronze-medal game while India and China will battle for the women’s hockey Asia Cup title and a place in the 2026 FIH Women’s World Cup.
Women’s Hockey Asia Cup Points Table (September 13, 2025)
Super 4s Pool
Women’s Hockey Asia Cup: Upcoming India Fixture (Sunday, September 14)
India vs China (Final), 5:30 PM IST (Hangzhou, China)
Edited by Sooryanarayanan Sesha
