Auckland, June 16: The Indian women’s hockey team booked its place in the semifinals of the FIH Nations Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Japan, courtesy goals from captain Salima Tete and Lalremsiami here on Tuesday.
The win was India’s second in Pool A of the tournament, which serves as a qualifier for next year’s FIH Pro League. With six points from two matches, India secured a spot in the last four.
India broke the deadlock in the third quarter, with skipper Salima Tete scoring in the 33rd minute after sustained pressure from the forwards.
Japan responded quickly, equalising just two minutes later through Ai Hiramitsu.
However, Lalremsiami struck the decisive goal in the 49th minute as India held firm against a late Japanese challenge to seal the victory.
The match was also a memorable occasion for midfielder Jyoti, who celebrated her 100th senior international appearance.
The first half was closely contested, with both teams creating opportunities but failing to find a breakthrough before the interval.
The game came to life in the third quarter when India took the lead through a penalty-corner variation in the 33rd minute. Nikki Pradhan’s deft touch redirected Navneet Kaur’s strike perfectly into the path of Salima, who calmly slotted the ball home.
Japan hit back almost immediately, with Hiramitsu converting a penalty corner in the 35th minute to restore parity.
With everything to play for in the final quarter, Lalremsiami netted the winner. Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam delivered a precise pass from the edge of the circle into the danger area, where Lalremsiami expertly deflected the ball into the net to hand India a crucial victory.
India will next face Uruguay in their final Pool A fixture on Thursday, while Japan and USA will battle for the remaining semifinal berth from the group. (PTI)
