MUSCAT: The actions of AHF Junior Women’s Asia Cup is underway at Oman Hockey Stadium with four thrilling matches lined up on Wednesday. In pool B, unbeaten Japan will face South Korea in a highly anticipated clash, while Sri Lanka take on Chinese Taipei. In Pool A, Bangladesh will play against Malaysia and China will face a formidable challenge from India.
The encounter between Japan and South Korea promises to be a nail-biter as both teams aim for their third consecutive victory. Japan have been dominant so far, outclassing Sri Lanka 15-0 and thrashing Hong Kong 13-0, maintaining a spotless defensive record. South Korea, on the other hand, began their campaign with a commanding 10-0 win over Sri Lanka, followed by a strong 7-2 victory against Chinese Taipei.
With semifinal spots at stake, this game will test South Korea’s tactical prowess and ball control against Japan’s solid defensive set-up, which has yet to concede a goal in the tournament.
INDIA TAKE ON CHINA
India will look to edge closer to securing a top-two spot in Pool A as they take on China in a high-stakes clash. India have been impressive, starting with a 5-1 victory over Bangladesh where Deepika scored twice, supported by goals from Manisha, Kanika Siwach and Mumtaz Khan. They followed up with a dominant 5-0 win against Malaysia, with Deepika netting a hat-trick and contributions from Vaishnavi Phalke and Kanika Siwach.
China, fresh off an 8-0 win over Thailand and a record-breaking 19-0 triumph against Bangladesh, will rely on their star players, including Ma Xuejiao and Wang Lihang, to challenge India.
Malaysia will aim for their second win when they will take on Bangladesh. Malaysia delivered a solid 3-0 victory over Thailand while Bangladesh will continue to seek their first success in the tournament. Sri Lanka and Chinese Taipei teams will look to bounce back and improve their standings in Pool B.
The top two teams from each pool will progress to the semifinals, while the third and fourth-placed teams will compete in the 5th-8th classification matches. The event features 10 teams divided into two groups, ensuring intense competition as the stakes get higher. This event act as qualifiers to FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2025 which will staged in Chile as five spots are reserved for Asian countries. As many as 24 teams will vie in an expanded competition format for the very first time.
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