– by Pratyusha Mukherjee, Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
India entered the final quarter with a 1-0 lead and soon doubled their advantage. In the 48th minute, captain Salima Tete made an excellent overlapping run down the right side of the Korean circle and calmly finished to make it 2-0.
South Korea pushed hard for a response, but India remained composed and disciplined. In the 54th minute, a Korean video referral overturned a penalty-corner decision. Three minutes later, India earned another penalty corner after a successful referral. Deepika’s initial flick was blocked by Lee, and after the re-award, a Korean defender made a crucial goal-line save. The rebound fell to Deepika, but her follow-up effort went wide.
South Korea earned a late penalty corner in the 59th minute, but India’s defence held firm. Salima was particularly impressive in the rush, helping her side withstand the late pressure and maintain a clean sheet.
The final whistle confirmed a hard-fought 2-0 win for India. After dominating much of the first half without finding the net, India showed patience to break South Korea’s resistance before controlling the game and securing their place in the Asian Games 2026 final.
Image: Asian Hockey Federation
