India secured a place in the semifinals of the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup 2026 with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Japan in their second Pool A match in Auckland on Tuesday. The win extended India’s unbeaten start to the tournament after their opening-match triumph over the United States.
After beginning their campaign with a spirited 3-2 comeback win against the USA, the Indian side carried that momentum into a crucial clash against Japan, knowing a victory would guarantee a berth in the last four.
India took control through disciplined play and capitalised on their scoring opportunities. Deepika once again played a key role in attack, while the Indian defence remained composed under pressure from the Japanese side. Japan fought back and managed to pull a goal back, but India held firm to preserve their advantage and secure all three points.
The victory ensured India’s qualification for the semifinals with a match to spare, strengthening their bid for the Nations Cup title and a potential return to the elite FIH Pro League. The tournament winner earns promotion to the next edition of the Pro League, making the competition particularly significant for the Indian women’s team.
Led by captain Salima Tete, India have shown impressive resilience so far in Auckland. The team will now turn its attention to its final pool-stage encounter against Uruguay as it looks to maintain momentum ahead of the knockout rounds.
Road to the Semifinals
India opened its campaign by rallying from two goals down to defeat the United States 3-2 before following it up with the decisive 2-1 win over Japan. Those results have placed the Women in Blue among the strongest contenders for the title in New Zealand.
Discussion about this post