China Shocks India to Win Women’s Asia Cup 2025 Gold and Secure World Cup Spot
In a thrilling end to the Women’s Asia Cup 2025, China clinched the gold medal by defeating India 4-1 in the final on Sunday in Hangzhou. This victory not only crowns China as champions but also books their ticket straight to the FIH Hockey World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands in 2026.
The tournament kicked off on September 5 with an exciting pool stage. China dominated Pool A, winning all three games with a whopping +31 goal difference and not conceding a single goal—talk about a clean sweep! Korea grabbed second spot in Pool A with two wins and one loss. Over in Pool B, India and Japan both went unbeaten, beating Thailand and Singapore before drawing against each other. India edged ahead thanks to their better goal difference. The top two from each pool—China, Korea, India, and Japan—advanced to the Super 4 stage.
Things heated up in the Super 4, where every team played each other once. China kept their winning streak alive, grabbing three more victories for a perfect 9 points and the top spot. India came in second after beating Korea, drawing with Japan in a nail-biter, and losing only to China. That Japan-Korea 1-1 draw left both teams fighting for bronze, while India faced China in the gold medal showdown.
The bronze medal match was a tense affair between Korea and Japan. Korea struck first in the opening quarter through Yeongeun Park’s goal, putting them ahead. Japan fought back hard after the break, equalizing midway through the second quarter with a superb team effort finished by Shiho Kobayakawa. The game stayed tight until the final quarter, when Hiroka Murayama scored for Japan to make it 2-1. Korea earned a few penalty corners late on but couldn’t convert, handing Japan the bronze.
The final started with fireworks—India scored just a minute in via Navneet Kaur’s penalty corner. But China stayed cool under pressure from the roaring home crowd. They leveled things in the second quarter when captain Ou Zixia converted their fifth penalty corner. India pushed hard in the third, but China took the lead on a quick counter after saving an Indian penalty corner. Two more goals in the fourth sealed a 4-1 win for China, sparking wild celebrations among fans.
Chinese coach Alyson Annan shared her excitement post-match: "Qualifying directly for the World Cup through the Asia Cup is huge for us. We’ve got the Pro League, Asian Games, and World Cup lined up next year, so skipping the qualifiers in such a packed schedule feels great. This wasn’t easy, even with our results—the home crowd and support really boosted us."
With this win, China joins seven other teams already qualified for the Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup 2026. Hosts Belgium and the Netherlands get automatic spots. Germany and Argentina earned theirs from the last two FIH Hockey Pro League seasons. The USA came through the Pan American Cup, Spain from the EuroHockey Championship, and New Zealand via the Oceania Cup. One more spot goes to Africa’s continental champions, while seven others will battle it out in the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers.
Teams punching tickets to those qualifiers based on strong showings in the Pan American Cup, EuroHockey Championships, Oceania Cup, and Asia Cup include Uruguay, Chile, Canada, Ireland, England, France, Italy, Wales, Scotland, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, India, Japan, Korea, and Malaysia. What a stage set for more women’s hockey action ahead!
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