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The Indian Junior Women's Hockey Team confirmed their place in the semi-final of Women's Junior Asia Cup 2023 after a resounding 11-0 victory over Chinese Taipei on Thursday in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.
The impressive victory meant that India finished the tournament's group stage unbeaten and are on top of Pool A. India will face Japan in the semi-finals on Saturday with the winner advancing to the tournament's final and also confirming a berth in the upcoming FIH Junior Women's World Cup 2023. The top three teams in the Women's Junior Asia Cup 2023 will earn automatic qualification to the FIH Junior Women's World Cup, which will be held in Santiago, Chile, from November 29 to December 10. Ahead of the crucial match, Captain Preeti expressed confidence about team India's prospects. "As one of the leading teams in Asia, it is crucial for us to excel in the Junior Men's Asia Cup. Our performance thus far has been commendable and we aim to maintain this momentum going into the semi-finals", she said, according to a Hockey India release. "Also, we are aiming to qualify for the FIH Junior Hockey Women's World Cup 2023 and we are just one win away from accomplishing it. The team will give its all in the semi-final against Japan," she added. The Indian team displayed its dominance during the pool stage remaining undefeated throughout. They started their campaign with a resounding 22-0 victory against Uzbekistan, followed by 2-1 win over Malaysia. In the thrilling encounter against Korea, they secured a 2-2 draw. Japan has also demonstrated strong form throughout the tournament with notable victories against Hong Kong China (23-0) and Indonesia (21-0). Despite a 0-1 loss to China, they bounced back to defeat Kazakhstan 8-0, securing second spot in Pool B. (ANI)
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