India kicked off the Women’s Asia Cup 2025 final with a bang, but couldn’t keep up the pace against hosts China. In a thrilling match in Hangzhou on Sunday, forward Navneet Kaur fired in a stunning goal just one minute in, giving India an early lead. However, China fought back fiercely and clinched a 4-1 victory, leaving India with a silver medal but missing out on a direct spot in the 2026 Women’s Hockey World Cup.
The game started perfectly for India. Veteran striker Navneet Kaur smashed home a penalty corner conversion in the opening minute, sending the Indian fans into cheers. But China, playing on home turf, ramped up the pressure right away. They earned their first penalty corner in the fourth minute, only for India’s defender Sunelita Toppo to block it on the goalline, with goalkeeper Bichu Devi making a key save. China kept pushing, getting another penalty corner in the 15th minute, but India’s first rusher stopped them cold.
The second quarter saw more of the same. China won a penalty corner in the 17th minute, but Bichu Devi stood tall with a brilliant save. She shone again in the 20th minute during open play. Finally, in the 21st minute, China’s captain Ou Zixia converted a penalty corner to level the score at 1-1. Both teams went into halftime tied, with everything still up for grabs in this high-stakes Asia Cup final.
India came out strong in the third quarter, pinning China back and creating chances around the circle. But it was China who struck next. In the 40th minute, India earned a penalty corner but failed to score, losing possession. China pounced on the counterattack, with Li Hong charging forward on a solo run. She unleashed a powerful back-handed shot that beat Bichu Devi and hit the bottom right corner, putting China ahead 2-1.
The fourth quarter turned into a rout for China. In the 51st minute, Ying Zhang delivered a pinpoint pass to Zou Meirong inside the circle, who finished with a first-touch strike for the third goal. Just two minutes later, in the 53rd minute, Zhong Jiaqi dashed down the right flank, cut inside, and slotted the ball past the keeper to make it 4-1. China sealed their dominant win and grabbed the eighth and final qualification spot for the 2026 Women’s Hockey World Cup.
That World Cup will run from August 14 to 30, 2026, across Wavre in Belgium and Amstelveen in the Netherlands. The hosts, Belgium and the Netherlands, already have direct entry, joined by qualifiers like Germany, Argentina, the United States, Spain, New Zealand, and now China through continental championships. India’s strong silver-medal performance shows their grit, but they’ll need to push hard in qualifiers for a World Cup berth. What a match for women’s hockey fans!
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