India beat Japan 2-1 to storm into Nations Cup semis
India booked their place in the semi-finals of the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup 2026 with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Japan in their second Pool A match in Auckland on Tuesday.
India clinched the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup New Zealand 2025-26 title with a commanding 2-0 victory over hosts New Zealand in the final on Sunday, securing promotion to the FIH Hockey Women’s Pro League for next season.
Navneet Kaur opened the scoring in the fourth minute before Sunelita Toppo doubled India’s advantage in the 15th minute. The Indian side then produced a disciplined defensive display to shut out the hosts and seal their second Nations Cup crown.
Advertisement
Lalremsiami was named Player of the Match for her performance in the final, while Deepika finished as the tournament’s joint-highest scorer with six goals, sharing the honour with USA forward Ashley Sessa.
Advertisement
The triumph marks India’s second Women’s Nations Cup title after winning the inaugural edition in 2022. The team enjoyed an unbeaten campaign, defeating USA (3-2), Japan (2-1) and Uruguay (3-2) in the group stage before thrashing Chile 6-0 in the semi-finals. They capped off their impressive run with a clinical victory over New Zealand in the final.
To celebrate the achievement, Hockey India announced a cash reward of Rs 3 lakh for each player and Rs 1.5 lakh for every member of the support staff.
“Glory. Gratitude. Recognition. To honour Team India’s FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup 2025-26 title win, Hockey India announces a cash award of Rs 3 lakh for each player and Rs 1.5 lakh for every member of the support staff. A fitting reward for a team that made the nation proud,” Hockey India said in a post on X.
In the final, New Zealand enjoyed more possession in the opening exchanges, but India struck first through a penalty corner. Navneet converted with a powerful effort in the fourth minute to hand the visitors an early lead.
India continued to threaten on the counterattack and repeatedly troubled the hosts with their pace and intensity. Their pressure paid off again when Sunelita Toppo expertly redirected Deepika’s effort from India’s fifth penalty corner of the match, doubling the lead just before the end of the first quarter.
The hosts improved in the second quarter and began to settle into the contest, but India’s defensive structure remained solid. Both teams created opportunities, yet neither could find the back of the net as India carried a comfortable 2-0 advantage into halftime.
India maintained their discipline after the break, denying New Zealand any clear scoring opportunities in the third quarter. Their organised defence and relentless work rate frustrated the hosts, while Navneet nearly added a third goal, only to be denied by the goalkeeper.
New Zealand pushed hard in the final quarter and earned an early penalty corner, but veteran goalkeeper Savita produced a crucial save to preserve India’s lead. The Indian defence continued to stand firm under pressure, ensuring a clean sheet and a memorable 2-0 victory.
With the win, India not only lifted the trophy but also secured a coveted place in next season’s FIH Hockey Women’s Pro League, underlining the team’s growing stature on the international stage.
Advertisement
