Daijiworld Media Network – Auckland
Auckland, Jun 17: India secured a place in the semi-finals of the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup New Zealand 2026 after registering a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Japan in their second Pool A match at the North Harbour National Hockey Centre in Auckland.
Captain Salima Tete, who was named Player of the Match, and Lalremsiami scored the goals for India, while Hiramitsu Ai netted the lone goal for Japan.
The match was also a memorable occasion for Indian midfielder Jyoti, who celebrated her 100th senior international appearance.
With victories over the United States and Japan, India remain unbeaten and sit atop Pool A with six points from two matches, guaranteeing their place in the last four of the tournament.
India had opened their campaign with a win against the USA and followed it up with another impressive performance against Japan to strengthen their title aspirations.
The Indian team will conclude its Pool A campaign against Uruguay tomorrow. The match is scheduled to begin at 4:15 a.m. IST.
Meanwhile, Japan and the USA will battle for the remaining semi-final berth from Pool A.
All matches of the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup are being streamed live on Watch.Hockey.