India vs Japan Women Hockey

India vs Japan Women Hockey: Deepika shines again, India beat Japan 3-0; enters the semi-finals

Defending champions India defeated Japan 3-0 in their final league match of the Women's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Rajgir on Sunday and entered the semi-finals with pride, remaining unbeaten. Tournament top scorer Deepika (47th and 48th minutes) scored two goals while vice-captain Navneet Kaur scored the third goal for India in the 37th minute.                                                                                                                                    

Sports Desk, New Delhi. Defending champions India continued their winning streak by defeating Japan 3-0 in their final league match of the Women's Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) hockey tournament on Sunday and qualified for the semi-finals. In-form tournament top scorer Deepika (47th and 48th minutes) scored two goals in the final quarter while vice-captain Navneet Kaur opened India's account by scoring a goal in the 37th minute.

India are on top of the table with 15 points after winning all five matches, while Olympic silver medallist China (12 points) are second. India will face fourth-placed Japan in the semi-finals on Tuesday, while China will face third-placed Malaysia in the second last-four match. Top goal scorer of the tournament Deepika has so far scored a total of 10 goals with four field goals, five from penalty corners and one from penalty stroke.

Superb performance by Japanese goalkeeper

The Indians got consecutive penalty corners in the eighth minute but the players could not convert them. India got another penalty corner in the 13th minute but again missed the chance. The home team continued to dominate and got the fourth penalty corner in the 25th minute but once again Japan goalkeeper Yu Kudo made use of the opportunity and made three brilliant saves.

Deepika scored two goals

India finally took the lead in the 37th minute through a brilliant reverse hit by Navneet. India earned three consecutive penalty corners in the 47th minute and star dragflicker Deepika opened the scoring with a powerful dragflick. A minute later, the Indians created another chance which was converted by Deepika with a powerful flick.