India to face Olympic silver medalists China in Asian Champions Trophy final following 2-0 win over Japan
The Indian women's hockey team advanced to the final of the Bihar Women's Asian Champions Trophy following a hard-fought 2-0 win over Japan on Tuesday (November 19).
Despite dominating the semifinal proceedings from the outset, the Indians were undone by the brilliance of Japanese goalkeeper Yu Kudo and an overreliance on penalty corners. After failing to convert a dozen penalty corners, Navneet Kaur scored the winner off a penalty stroke in the final quarter before Lalremsiami sealed the deal for the hosts with a brilliant effort from open play.
Earlier on Tuesday, China overcame Malaysia 3-1 in the first semifinal of the Asian Champions Trophy.
Navneet Kaur tested Japanese custodian Yu Kudo in the third minute of play with a crack at goal after the Indians had manufactured a couple of early forays.
Preeti Dubey, Navneet Kaur and Sangita Kumari combined to force a penalty corner in the 10th minute. Despite a bouncy stop, Navneet Kaur managed to take a slap shot on goal that was stopped by a slew of defenders in front of the citadel.
Deepika was on the pitch when the Indians earned their second penalty corner a minute later even as Yu Kudo managed to keep the drag-flick out of harm's way.
The Indians, who dominated the electrifying opening quarter, carried the momentum into the second, with Lalremsiami angling in a probing ball in the 17th minute before Deepika earned her side a penalty corner.
Yu Kudo used her kickers at full stretch to pull off a stunning save after Deepika sent in a stinging drag-flick. Kudo then used her stick to stop a lethal high drag-flick from Deepika in the 24th minute while the Indians were unsuccessful in converting the follow-up attempt.
India's 10th penalty corner in the 35th minute failed to result in a goal as did the follow-up attempt, much to the dismay of a packed stadium in Rajgir.
Yu Kudo stopped Deepika's drag flick for the umpteenth time in the 44th minute using her kickers to good effect. A goalmouth melee very nearly led to a goal for the Indians in the 47th minute but the ball trickled tantalizingly away from the goalmouth, with several Indian strikers lying in wait.
Navneet Kaur finally opened the scoring off a penalty stroke awarded to India in the 48th minute following an obstruction in the circle.
A scorching run by Sunelita Toppo caught the Japanese defense off-guard before the youngster from Jharkhand found an unmarked Lalremsiami in the circle who guided a delectable deflection into the back of the net in the 56th minute.
Deepika leads the list of goalscorers in Bihar Asian Champions Trophy
Ahead of the competition on the final day of the eighth edition of the Asian Champions Trophy, Indian and Chinese players continue to occupy the top positions in the leading goalscorers list.
Deepika leads the goals tally with 10 strikes, having scored a couple of goals against Korea and Japan, five against Thailand, and one at the death against China.
Tan Jinzhaung of China scored in the semifinal to increase her tournament tally to seven goals while Sangita Kumari, who has been one of the livewires for India, has netted four goals thus far.
Preeti Dubey, who has scored three goals, joins three Chinese players - Xu Yanan, Yu Anhui and Wang Lihang - in the fourth spot in the Asian Champions Trophy goalscorers list.