Indian women's hockey team hold nerve to beat Malaysia 2-1 in U18
Kakamigahara, May 30
The Indian U18 Women's Hockey Team started their U18 Asia Cup 2026 campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Malaysia in their opening Pool A match in Japan on Saturday.
India's 15-year-old forward Nousheen Naz scored both the goals to secure three points for her team, a release said.
After a goalless first quarter, India ended the deadlock in the 19th minute of the match off a penalty corner, when Nousheen capitalised on an opportunity during a set-piece to place the ball into the net and give India a 1-0 lead.
Continuing her good form, Nousheen struck again in the second quarter. In the 28th minute, she beat the Malaysian goalkeeper with a sharp shot to double India's lead to 2-0 before the hooter signalled half-time.
Malaysia looked to recover in the second half and eventually managed to cut India's lead down to one goal in the 41st minute, as Nur Azli breached the Indian post to reduce the margin to 2-1.
The Indian defence kept the opposition from causing further damage in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
India created several scoring opportunities throughout the match and earned a total of 16 penalty corners. Nousheen was named 'Player of the Match' for her two goals, which proved to be the difference.
With this win, India are currently placed second in Pool A behind Korea. Both teams have three points each but are separated by goal difference.
India will play Korea in their next pool match on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great to see Indian women's hockey progressing at the grassroots level. Nousheen is a star in the making! But we need to work on converting penalty corners – 16 is huge but only one goal from them. Still, a win is a win. 🇮🇳
Solid start from India U18! 2-1 win against a tough Malaysian side is no joke. Nousheen Naz seems like a player to watch – two goals and she's only 15? That's some serious composure for her age. Hope to see more from this team.
Young team holding their nerve after Malaysia scored in the 41st minute – that shows character. But 16 penalty corners and only 1 goal? Respectfully, the coaches need to work on that. Korea will be tougher, so conversion is key. Keep the momentum going! 🏑
So proud of this team! Women's hockey has been on the rise in India, and seeing young players like Nousheen Naz shine is heartwarming. 2-0 up at half time shows dominance. Just need to finish strongly in the second half. On to Korea – let's go girls! 🌟
Exciting match for Indian hockey fans! Nousheen Naz is the star of the day with two well-taken goals. The defensive resilience in the final quarter was excellent. Only concern is the penalty corner efficiency, but overall a very promising start to the campaign. Good luck against Korea!
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