Women's Hockey Junior Asia Cup 2024: India beat China in shootout to defend title

A spirited Indian team won the Women's Hockey Junior Asia Cup 2024 title in Muscat, Oman after defeating the People’s Republic of China in the shootout of the final on Sunday.

The Under-21 Indian women’s hockey team suffered the first blow with Jinzhuang Tan (30’) scoring the opening goal for China with Kanika Siwach (41’) equalising in the third quarter for India.

After a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time, India prevailed over China 3-2 in the penalty shootout to win the Women's Junior Asia Cup title for the second successive time.

Indian goalkeeper Nidhi made three crucial saves during the penalty shootout while Sakshi Rana, Ishika and Sunelita Toppo scored for India in the shootout.

Both sides matched each other’s intensity in the first quarter as they tried to find an opening goal. India received two penalty corners but could not penetrate China’s defensive wall.

India dictated the play at the start of the second quarter but failed to create scoring chances in the shooting circle.

China gained the upper hand towards the end of the second quarter when they converted the penalty stroke with just 14 seconds left on the clock.

India dominated the third quarter. In the 41st minute, Sunelita Toppo and Deepika moved the ball ahead with smooth passes and found Kanika Siwach inside the shooting circle. Siwach scored a clinical field goal to help India get back on level terms.

Both sides opted for attacking play in the final fifteen minutes of the game in search of the winner.

India received a penalty corner with ten minutes left on the clock but Deepika's shot went narrowly wide. Moments later, China too squandered a penalty corner in a similar fashion.

The two sides could not be separated in the four quarters and the final went into a penalty shootout.

This was the eighth edition of the Women's Hockey Junior Asia Cup. The competition also doubled up as a qualifying event for the FIH Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup 2025 in Chile.

The top five hockey teams from the competition, including India, qualified for next year’s FIH Junior World Cup.

Deepika Sehrawat, with 12 goals in the Women's Hockey Junior Asia Cup 2024, was the top scorer in the competition.

India won their maiden Women's Hockey Junior Asia Cup title last year by defeating the Republic of Korea in the final.