Moqi, China, September 8
The Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team secured their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Junior Asia Cup with a commanding 7-0 victory over Japan in their third Elite Pool match in Moqi, China. India took control from the start, with Krishna Sharma scoring in the fifth minute to make it 1-0. In the ninth minute, a foul by a Japanese defender inside the circle led to a penalty stroke, which Supriya converted to double the lead to 2-0.
Purnima Yadav added a field goal in the 14th minute, giving India a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter saw Japan press for a goal, but India’s defence held firm, and the score remained 3-0 at half-time.
In the third quarter, India scored three goals in five minutes: Geeta Yadav smashed a field goal in the 41st minute (4-0), completed her brace in the 45th minute (5-0), and Purnima Yadav scored her second goal in the 46th minute (6-0). In the final quarter, Sanika Chandrakant Mane scored her first goal of the match in the 50th minute to make it 7-0. India comfortably saw out the remainder of the match to register their third consecutive victory.
The win maintained India’s perfect record in the tournament, giving them nine points from three matches and top spot in the Elite Pool. India had earlier opened their campaign with a 4-1 win over Korea and then registered an 11-1 victory against Malaysia.
Their combined goal tally across the three pool matches stands at 22 goals scored and only two conceded. This victory also builds on the recent success of Indian women’s hockey, coming fresh from a historic fifth-place finish at the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026, as noted in related reports from Bengaluru on the same date. India will face China on 9 September in their final pool match, with the encounter set to determine the top position in the pool.
China currently have six points from two matches. The quarter-final qualification underscores India’s status as a strong contender in the tournament, with the upcoming match against China set to be a crucial decider for pool leadership.
