India delivered a dominant performance to crush Thailand 9-0 in their fourth Pool A match of the Women’s Junior Asia Cup on Thursday, securing a semifinal berth and a spot in the FIH Junior World Cup 2025, to be held in Chile.
Deepika was the star of the match, scoring four goals to take her tournament tally to ten and solidify her position as the competition’s top scorer. Contributions also came from Kanika Siwach, Lalrinpuii, and Sakshi Rana, who ensured India’s all-round dominance.
India started cautiously but found their rhythm in the second quarter. Captain Jyoti Singh set up vice-captain Sakshi Rana, whose powerful strike from distance opened the scoring. Minutes later, India earned their third penalty corner, which Kanika Siwach converted with a brilliant drag flick.
Kanika struck again in the 25th minute, converting another penalty corner to make it 3-0. Lalrinpuii added a fourth goal with a field effort in the 27th minute before Deepika joined the scoresheet in the 28th minute, converting a penalty corner to give India a commanding 5-0 lead at halftime.
India continued their attacking momentum after the break. Deepika converted a penalty corner early in the third quarter and added a field goal in the 35th minute to complete her hat-trick. Lalrinpuii struck again in the 40th minute, capitalizing on a series of precise passes in the shooting circle to score India’s eighth goal.
Despite Thailand’s defensive efforts in the fourth quarter, Deepika sealed the match with her fourth goal—a clinical field strike that ended the game at 9-0.
With this victory, India topped Pool A and will face Japan in the semifinal on December 14 for a chance to reach the final. The team’s incredible form and tactical precision have made them one of the tournament favourites.
India’s confident march into the semifinals signals their readiness for tougher challenges ahead, with their eyes firmly set on the championship title.
