The Indian women's hockey team has secured a spot in the Asia Cup final after a hard-fought 1-1 draw against defending champions Japan in their final Super 4s match. India's qualification was confirmed later in the day when China defeated Korea 1-0 in the other Super 4s match, setting up a final between India and the hosts.
The match started brightly for India, which drew first blood in the seventh minute. Beauty Dung Dung deflected a shot from Neha into the net to give India an early 1-0 lead. India continued to attack and earned a penalty corner in the first quarter, but they were unable to convert it. The first half ended with India holding a one-goal lead, with their defense successfully repelling Japanese attacks.
In the second half, Japan increased their offensive efforts as they pushed for an equalizer. India's defense held firm for most of the half, but Japan eventually found a way through. In the 58th minute, with just two minutes remaining in the match, Shiho Kobayakawa scored to level the score at 1-1. This was the second time in the tournament that the two teams had played to a draw.
India’s place in the final depended on the outcome of the China-Korea match. A win would have given India a direct path to the final, but the draw meant they had to wait for the results. China, which had already secured its spot, defeated Korea, who needed a win by a two-goal margin to qualify. The result meant India finished second in the Super 4s standings with four points, while China finished first with nine.
The final, which is a rematch of the recent Super 4s clash, will be a high-stakes affair. The winner will be crowned the Asia Cup champion and will also earn a spot in the 2026 Women's World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands. The match will also mark a milestone for veteran forward Navneet Kaur, who completed her 200th international cap for India during the draw against Japan.