An in-form India secured a narrow 2-1 victory over Japan to advance to the semifinals of the women’s Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament. Navneet Kaur (31st minute) and Sangita Kumari (47th) scored for India, while Japan’s lone goal came from Kana Urata (37th). Both teams were undefeated before this match, with India winning against Thailand, Malaysia, and China, and Japan winning against Malaysia, South Korea, and Thailand.
The first quarter was a battle between India’s attack and Japan’s defense, with India dominating but unable to score. Japan relied on counterattacks but failed to breach India’s defense. The second quarter continued with no clear scoring opportunities for either team until Japan scored from a penalty corner in the 37th minute. India quickly responded with another goal from a penalty corner in the 47th minute, securing a 2-1 lead. The final quarter saw intense back-and-forth play, with India defending bravely to maintain their lead.
India will play their final league game against South Korea on Thursday.
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