The Indian women’s hockey team defended their Asian Champions Trophy title by beating Olympic silver medallist China 1-0 in the final on Wednesday in Rajgir, Bihar. Striker Deepika scored the lone goal in the match from a penalty corner in the 31st minute to finish the tournament with 11 goals – highest in the competition.
It was India’s third ACT title, having won the competition in 2016 and 2023 previously. On the other hand, it was China’s third runners-up finish. Japan defeated Malaysia 4-1 to finish third on the podium. Earlier, India had defeated China 3-0 in the group stages of this year’s tournament.
India are now the joint most-successful side in the tournament alongside South Korea. It was neck and neck fight between the two sides throughout the contest. Both India and China made many promising circle penetrations but the backline of both the sides was rock solid in the first two quarters.
The 17-year-old Sunelita Toppo was brilliant with her dribbling skills and defence splitting runs from both flanks for India. Three minutes into the second quarter, China secured the first penalty corner of the match but India’s second goalkeeper Bichu Devi Kharibam made a terrific diving save to keep out Jinzhuang Tan.
In the next two minutes the Indians earned as many as four penalty corners but as has been case in the tournament so far, they failed to utilise a single with Deepika taking most of the chances. Penalty corner conversion has been a concern for India in the tournament as in the semifinal against Japan they managed 13 set pieces, but failed to find the net even once.
In the 23rd minute, it was India’s turn to concede another penalty corner but the first rusher defended bravely to deny the Chinese. Minutes later, skipper Salima Tete created a fine ball for Sharmila Devi whose first time hit to the near post went wide as the deadlock continued at half-time.
India kept up the pressure on the Chinese defence and secured their fifth penalty corner with the first move after the change of ends. Deepika this time finally found the net with a reverse hit after building on from a miss-trap push. In the 42nd minute Deepika had a bright chance to increase her tally when she earned a penalty stroke for a deliberate push inside the circle.
But Chinese goalkeeper Li Ting pulled off a stunning reflex save to deny the star Indian striker. Minutes later, Ting once again came to China’s rescue as she saved Sushila Chanu’s shot from India’s sixth penalty corner. Trailing by just a solitary goal, the Chinese employed high-press hockey thereafter and also managed to breach inside the Indian circle on a few occasions but the home team’s defence didn’t break.
