India seal semi-final spot in FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup 2026 after 2-1 win over Japan
Auckland, June 16
The Indian Women's Hockey Team defeated Japan 2-1 in their second Pool A match of the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup New Zealand 2026 on Tuesday at the North Harbour National Hockey Centre in Auckland to secure a spot in the semi-finals, having won both their pool games so far.
Captain and 'Player of the Match' Salima Tete (33') and Lalremsiami (49') netted the goals for India while Hiramitsu Ai (35') was the lone goalscorer for Japan. It was a memorable game for midfielder Jyoti, who marked her 100th senior international appearance, according to a press release.
The first half was extremely tight with both sides creating chances, but none could break the deadlock till half-time.
The game opened up in the third quarter as India scored first in the 33rd minute through a nicely executed penalty corner variation. Navneet Kaur's strike was deflected perfectly to Salima by Nikki Pradhan, and the skipper slotted it into the goal to give India the lead.
Japan promptly replied two minutes later, as Hiramitsu (35') converted from a penalty corner to score the equaliser.
With all to play for in the final quarter, India's Lalremsiami found the winning goal in the 49th minute. Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam played an incisive pass from the edge of the circle towards the goal and found Lalremsiami, who deflected the ball into the net to help India emerge victorious.
The win took unbeaten India to the top of Pool A with six points from wins against the USA and Japan.
India will next face Uruguay in their last Pool A match of the tournament on June 18 at 4:15 am IST, while Japan and the USA will face off for the second semi-final spot from Pool A.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great match! As someone who follows hockey closely, I can say India's defensive organization in the final quarter was outstanding. Japan pushed hard but our girls held their nerve. The penalty corner execution for the first goal was textbook.
So happy for Jyoti completing 100 caps! 🙌 She's been a silent warrior in the midfield for years. Also, Nikki Pradhan's assist for the first goal was perfect. Women's hockey in India is really going places now. Semi-final here we come! 💪
Good win, but we need to convert more chances. The first half was slow and Japan almost equalized a second time. In the semis, we can't afford to be wasteful against stronger teams. That said, credit to the girls for finding a way to win.
Brilliant stuff! Salima Tete is simply world-class. The way she reads the game and leads from the front is inspiring. Also, Sushila Chanu's vision for that winning pass was top-notch. This team has the firepower to go all the way in the tournament! 🏆
Impressive performance by India. The defensive unit has improved so much under this coach. They absorbed pressure well against a quick Japanese side. My only concern is the penalty corner conversion rate - need to work on that before the semis.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.