FIH Nations Cup: India women's hockey team beat Japan 2-1 to secure semifinal berth

India's 2-1 victory over Japan in Auckland was a significant result in the 2025-26 FIH Women's Nations Cup. The win gave India six points from two matches, ensured a semi-final berth, and kept them at the top of Pool A.

In Short

• Salima Tete and Lalremsiami found the net for India
• Jyoti made her 100th senior international appearance
• India are top of Pool A with six points from two wins

The Indian women's hockey team sealed a place in the semifinals of the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup New Zealand 2026 with a 2-1 win over Japan in their second Pool A match at the North Harbour National Hockey Centre in Auckland on Tuesday.

Captain Salima Tete and forward Lalremsiami scored in either half for India, while Ai Hiramitsu found the net for Japan. The victory, India's second in as many matches, took them to six points and confirmed their passage to the last four of the tournament.

The opening half was evenly contested, with both sides enjoying periods of possession and creating scoring opportunities. However, neither team managed to break the deadlock before the interval.

India made the breakthrough in the third quarter through a well-executed penalty-corner routine. In the 33rd minute, Navneet Kaur's strike was cleverly redirected by Nikki Pradhan into the path of Salima, who finished from close range to hand India the lead.

Japan responded almost immediately. Two minutes later, Hiramitsu converted from a penalty corner to level the scores and restore parity.

With the contest finely balanced heading into the final quarter, India regained the advantage in the 49th minute. Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam delivered a precise pass from the edge of the circle towards the goalmouth, where Lalremsiami produced a deft touch to guide the ball into the net.

Japan pushed forward in the closing stages in search of an equaliser, but India's defence stood firm to preserve the lead and secure all three points.

The match was also a significant milestone for midfielder Jyoti, who made her 100th senior international appearance for the national team.

India are now at the top of Pool A with six points from victories over the United States and Japan. They will face Uruguay in their final group-stage match on June 18, while Japan and the United States will compete for the second semifinal berth from the pool.

The Nations Cup serves as a qualifying tournament for next year's FIH Pro League, adding further significance to India's impressive start to the campaign.

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