India continued its unbeaten streak in the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy, defeating Japan 3-0 in its final league match on Sunday. With the victory, India topped the table and advanced to the semifinals, potentially setting up a rematch with Japan, which secured the fourth spot despite the loss.
This win marked India’s sixth triumph in seven encounters against Japan, avenging the heartbreaking defeat earlier this year when Japan edged India for the last Olympic qualification spot. That loss led to an overhaul of the Indian team and coaching staff, with Sunday’s commanding performance reflecting their resurgence.
From the outset, India asserted its authority, leaving Japan with minimal opportunities. The Indian defense remained impenetrable, restricting Japan to a handful of circle entries in the first half and virtually none in the second. The Indian goalkeepers, rotated each quarter, were not required to make a single save, underlining the host’s defensive strength.
Despite dominating possession and creating multiple chances, India struggled to convert opportunities into goals in the first half. Japanese goalkeeper Yu Kudo played a pivotal role, making a series of spectacular saves, especially off penalty corners. India’s forwards were thwarted repeatedly, often rushing their shots in their eagerness to score.
The breakthrough came in the 37th minute, thanks to Navneet Kaur’s experience and precision. Receiving a backpass from Lalremsiami off a free hit, Navneet unleashed a reverse shot that caught the Japanese defense, including Kudo, off-guard. The goal was followed by a strong finish in the final quarter when Deepika converted two penalty corners in quick succession to seal the 3-0 victory.
Coach Harendra Singh emphasized the importance of taking effective shots at goal, and while the team eventually delivered, there remains room for improvement in execution.
The win positions India as favourites to retain the title. Japan, despite the loss, advanced to the knockouts as the fourth-ranked side, setting the stage for a potential rematch in the semifinals.
In other matches, China secured a 2-0 win over Korea, knocking the latter out of the tournament, while Malaysia defeated Thailand 2-0 to claim the third semifinal spot. The semifinal lineup will see Malaysia face China and India likely clash with Japan once again.
Results Summary
– Malaysia 2 (Nur Azhar, Nur Mohammed) bt Thailand 0
– China 2 (Jinzhuang Tan 2) bt Korea 0
– India 3 (Deepika 2, Navneet Kaur) bt Japan 0
India now marches into the semifinals with confidence, aiming to maintain its unbeaten run and clinch the Asian Champions Trophy title.
