Women’s Hockey Asia Cup 2022: India go down 2-0 to Japan in second match
Yuri Nagai and Saki Tanaka settled the tie in favour of Japan. India play Singapore in their final group game.
India lost 2-0 to Japan in their second Pool A match at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup 2022 at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat, Oman on Sunday.
Captain Yuri Nagai scored in the second minute for the 2018 Asian Games gold-medallists Japan and Saki Tanaka added one in the second half.
The Indian hockey team now sits second to Japan in the group with three points in two games.
The early goal gave Japan the confidence to attack as the Indian women’s hockey team were pegged back in the first half.
India, the defending champions, saw more of the ball in the second half and moved it around but were sloppy in possession and could not find teammates in threatening positions.
Japan were the more dominant team and used the breadth of the pitch well, often attacking from the wide areas.
The strategy helped them double their lead soon. A powerful ball in from the right bypassed the Indian defence and found Saki Tanaka at the back post, who deflected it in comfortably.
India did create a few chances in the final quarter but the goal just did not arrive as Japan saw out the match.
India had beaten Malaysia 9-0 in their opening match and will take on Singapore in their final group game on Monday.