The Indian junior women’s hockey team completed a hat-trick of AHF Junior Asia Cup titles after edging hosts China 1-0 in a tense final in Moqi on Sunday. Sanika Chandrakant Mane scored the only goal of the contest in the 17th minute as the defending champions held their nerve against sustained Chinese pressure to retain the continental crown. The triumph also secured India qualification for the upcoming FIH Junior Women’s World Cup.
China test Indian defence
The final began cautiously, with China enjoying more possession and attempting to push India deep into their own half. The Indian defence, however, remained compact and denied the hosts any clear opening during a goalless first quarter.
Having weathered the early pressure, India made their first major opportunity count shortly after the start of the second quarter.
Sanika made a clever run behind the Chinese defence and positioned herself close to goal before getting her stick to a long slap-push into the circle. Her deft deflection beat goalkeeper Xu Mengjiao and gave India a 1-0 advantage in the 17th minute.
China responded by increasing the pressure and earned the only penalty corner of the match. The hosts appeared to have found the equaliser from the set-piece, but the effort was disallowed as the ball entered the goal above the permitted height.
India protect slender lead
The second half developed into a test of India’s defensive organisation as China searched for a way back into the contest. India remained composed, closed down spaces effectively and prevented the hosts from converting their territorial pressure into a goal.
With the title hanging on their one-goal advantage, the Indians maintained their structure through the closing stages and successfully protected the lead until the final hooter.
The victory gave India their third successive Women’s Junior Asia Cup crown, extending a run that began with their triumphs in the 2023 and 2024 editions.
Unbeaten run ends in glory
India had entered the knockout rounds after finishing on top of the Elite Pool. Their campaign included emphatic victories over South Korea, Japan and Malaysia, while their pool encounter against China ended goalless.
They then produced one of the tournament’s most dominant performances in the quarter-finals, routing Pakistan 19-0, before defeating South Korea 5-1 in the semi-finals. Drag-flicker Supriya struck a hat-trick in the last-four encounter to propel India into the title clash.
The final demanded a different kind of performance, with chances at a premium, but Sanika’s strike and a resilient defensive effort proved enough to seal the championship.
Following the triumph, Hockey India announced a cash reward of Rs 3 lakh for each member of the victorious squad and Rs 1.5 lakh for every member of the support staff.