Indian women lock horns with South Korea in semis, look to end 44-year gold drought

Unbeaten Indian women’s hockey team will look to take another step towards ending a 44-year wait for Asian Games gold when they face South Korea in the semifinal of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 on Wednesday at the Kawasaki Juko Stadium in Kakamigahara, Japan.

Having marched through the Pool B stage with five wins from five matches, the Indian team will enter the contest with confidence, but will be mindful of the challenge posed by a South Korean side that has also enjoyed a strong campaign.

India topped Pool B with a perfect record, producing an impressive goal-scoring run along the way. They began their campaign with a 19-0 win over Uzbekistan, followed it up with a 17-1 victory against Indonesia and then registered a 20-1 win over Thailand. A hard-fought 3-1 victory over hosts Japan ensured India continued their winning momentum, before they concluded the pool stage with a commanding 7-0 win over Singapore.

South Korea, meanwhile, finished second in Pool A behind China, recording four victories in five matches. Their only defeat came against China, losing 0-3, while South Korea’s biggest victory was an 8-0 result against Bangladesh.

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With a place in the final at stake, both teams will now look to raise their intensity after a two-day break following the pool stage.

India’s attacking numbers have been eye-catching

India’s attacking numbers have been particularly eye-catching, with drag-flick specialist Deepika leading the tournament’s scoring charts with 21 goals from five matches. Seasoned forward Navneet Kaur is second on the list with 10 goals, including seven from field play. Navneet has also been another option for India during penalty-corner situations, while Deepika combines her drag-flicking responsibilities with her role in the forward line.

Rutuja Dadaso Pisal has contributed seven goals, while Lalremsiami and Ishika have scored six and five respectively, underlining the depth of India’s attacking options.

India’s attacking numbers have been particularly eye-catching, with drag-flick specialist Deepika leading the tournament’s scoring charts with 21 goals from five matches. Pics: Hocke India

At the other end, India have been well served by their goalkeeping options, with experienced custodian Savita providing leadership and Bichu Devi offering another dependable presence between the posts. Their performances will be crucial as India prepare to face a South Korean attack that will look to test the Indian defence more consistently than it was during the pool stage.

Big challenge for Indian team: Marijne

“For us, training is the way to stay in rhythm…Everybody knows what is expected from them,” said the team’s Chief Coach, Sjoerd Marijne. “We have played opponents against who the challenge was not that big, except Japan. Now it’s a big challenge in the semifinals of the Asian Games and we are looking forward to play against South Korea.”

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South Korea will look towards midfielder Seungae Park for an attacking spark. She has already scored eight goals in the tournament and will be an important player for India’s defensive unit to keep under control.

India keep slate clean with a 7-0 win over Singapore, face South Korea in semifinals

The weather in Gifu has remained overcast for the past 2-3 days, to the extent that strong spells of rain forced the men’s match between Pakistan and Oman on Monday to be suspended for 15-20 minutes. However, the forecast for Wednesday is of sunny weather.

The semifinal represents an important moment in India’s pursuit of history. The team is now just two victories away from securing their second Asian Games women’s hockey gold medal, with their only previous triumph coming way back in 1982.

The match begins at 7 pm local time (3:30 pm IST) on Wednesday.