The Indian women's hockey team maintained their perfect record at the Asian Games on Sunday, dismantling Singapore 7-0 in their final Pool B encounter. The victory ensures India finishes at the top of their group with five consecutive wins, successfully advancing to the semifinals where they are set to face Korea on September 30.
While the final scoreline reflects a comfortable win, the match began as a tactical battle. Singapore’s defensive unit proved resilient in the opening quarter, successfully thwarting eight penalty corner attempts from the Indian side. Despite India controlling the tempo and keeping the play almost exclusively in the Singapore half, the deadlock remained unbroken until the early stages of the second quarter.
Dominant Second Half and Clinical Finishing
Captain
The second half saw India continue to press, with Nikki Pradhan finding the back of the net in the 35th minute. Deepika rounded off the scoring five minutes from the final whistle, converting a powerful flick into the left corner of the goal. Throughout the contest, India earned a significant number of penalty corners, though the coaching staff will likely look to improve their conversion rate, having secured 24 opportunities in the first three quarters alone.
Looking Ahead to the Semifinals
With the group stage now concluded, India turns its attention to the knockout phase. Their semifinal opponents, Korea, await in what promises to be a challenging encounter. In the other half of the draw, defending champions and Olympic silver medallists China are scheduled to face hosts Japan. India’s unbeaten run through the pool stages provides them with momentum as they aim for a podium finish in the tournament.
