Defending champions India asserted their dominance with a 3-1 victory over Japan to secure a place in the final of the Women’s Junior Asia Cup hockey tournament in Muscat on Saturday. Mumtaz Khan (4th), Sakshi Rana (5th), Deepika (13th) were on target in the first quarter, while Niko Maruyama scored a consolation goal for Japan in the 23rd minute. It was a one-way traffic for the Jyoti Singh-led India in the opening quarter after Sunelita Toppo foiled Japan’s drag-flick opportunity by making a quick run to intercept a threatening ball in the second minute of play.

India took the lead two minutes later by capitalising on a defensive error. A move from the right flank saw the Japanese defenders and goalkeeper advance to intercept the forwards, but the ball was quickly relayed to an unmarked Mumtaz Khan, who deftly pushed it into an empty goal.

A minute later Sakshi Rana was on target, scoring another field goal to put the defending champions 2-0 up.

India’s relentless attacks saw the midfield stitch another splendid move in the seventh minute but the forwards fumbled inside the circle.

India seemed to have learnt a lesson from their loss to China in a group game, as they shifted gears quickly to launch counterattacks and catch the opponents off-guard.

With two minutes remaining in the first quarter, India earned a penalty stroke, which Deepika converted to make it 3-0.

Japan were more resolute in the second quarter as they broke into the rival circle on a few occasions but were thwarted by a stout defence.

Japanese goalkeeper Saito Miaki made a brilliant save to deny India their fourth goal in the 22nd minute and then pulled off another superb rescue act to thwart the rivals’ effort from a penalty corner.

The Japanese finally got their much-deserved opening goal on the counter to reduce the margin in the 23rd minute before coming close to unnerving India at the fag end of the second quarter.

However, India too continued to make frequent forays into the rival half, mostly from the right flank but the Japanese defence frustrated them with swift clearance as the teams went into half-time with the defending champions leading 3-1.

Rattled by Japan’s fight-back in the second quarter, India were more cautious after the break, which saw their defence being tested in the 34th and 42nd minute.

The final quarter was a nervy affair for India with goalkeeper Nidhi making back-to-back saves in the 46th minute as Japan looked to stage a comeback.

India will take on the winner of the second semi-final between China and South Korea in the title showdown.

Caught in a downward spiral of reverses since the historic fourth-place finish in the Tokyo Olympics, Indian women’s hockey team captain Salima Tete on Wednesday attributed it to the lack of fitness and mental toughness. After creating history in Tokyo in 2021, the team failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics this year and also performed poorly in the last FIH Pro League. “Yes, of course we were disappointed but we can’t think about the past and need to move forward. We should move on because if we don’t move on, we can never win a match,” Salima told PTI in an interview ahead of the women’s Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir, Bihar from November 11 to 20.

“It was very difficult for everyone, not just for me but for everyone in the team. But we have worked on it.” The journey, since the failure to qualify for the Paris Games, wasn’t easy under new chief coach Harendra Singh. But Salima said those setbacks have taught them a big lesson.

“We had to start from the beginning. We had to start from the scratch. And fitness was an area that Harendra sir had pointed out and which needs a lot of work,” she said.

“It was our mistake that we didn’t work on fitness. But since sir came, we have worked a lot on our fitness. In today’s level, if you don’t have fitness, you can’t play hockey because it is a fast sport and you need fitness.” Salima said the entire squad now realises the importance of fitness.

“We do work on our strength. I also noticed that we were not able to lift so much weight. The girls are now squatting more than 100kgs. This shows that we are working on our fitness. This shows that we are getting better.” Harendra understands the significance of mental aspect of the game and that was precisely the reason the Indian women’s hockey team underwent an intensive mental strengthening and team building camp at the prestigious Indian Naval Academy in Kerala from July 14 to 21 this year.

“We didn’t have mental experience. So, it (the camp) was very good. We didn’t know how it was going to be. It was very hard but we handled it. We were not able to sit and relax, we were very busy,” Salima said.

“We have learned that we won’t get anything if we don’t work hard. We won’t be able to keep up.” Asked about the other areas that need work, Salima pointed out: “Our focus is on scoring from inside the circle and also from penalty corners. We have worked on this. We have worked on small, small things.” Salima said it is a new beginning for the Indian women’s team and its sole focus now is on finishing on the podium in 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“A new season has started for Indian women’s hockey. The aim is to qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics and finish on the podium there. That’s the view.

“It is a very big thing for us and we are working for it from now. We are starting from zero. Sir tells us that we have to go to the Asian Games, World Cup and the 2028 Olympics,” she said.

India will enter the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy as the defending champions and the skipper said they will settle for nothing less than gold.

“We want to win this championship (ACT). We don’t think about results, we just want to play our game.

“To win this tournament we need team effort. Every player has to show her skill, like my strength is speed, so I have to use my speed to help the team,” she said.

“Everyone has different strengths and we will play to our strengths.” Besides India, Paris Olympics silver medallist China, 2018 Asian Games champion Japan, Malaysia, two-time Olympic silver winner Korea and Thailand are the other participating teams in the tournament. 

File image of India Men’s Hockey Team.© X (Twitter)