India vs Japan in Women’s Asia Cup 2022: Determined Japan Gets the Better of India 2-0

In a disappointing performance, the Indian women’s hockey team lost 0-2 to Japan in the ongoing Women’s Asia Cup 2022, taking place in Muscat, Oman. The Indian team struggled to make decisive inroads into the Japanese circle for most of the first three quarters. Despite trying hard in the last quarter of the game, the Japanese defensive wall couldn’t be breached.

The two scorers for Japan were captain Yuri Nagai in the second minute and Saki Tanaka in the 42nd. With this win, Japan are now placed at the top of the table in Pool A. India slip to the second position. Korea are the top team in Pool B with China following them.

Japan Take Early Lead

The match started in dramatic fashion with the Japanese team taking the lead in the second minute itself. Their captain Nagai made sure that her team gained the early edge on the tournament favourites. After this, the Japanese team continued playing aggressively and India took some time to get their forward line in action.

India vs Japan in Women’s Asia Cup 2022: Full Match Report

By the second half of the first quarter, the Indian side could also mount some promising attacks. They even got two penalty corners but Gurjit Kaur’s drag flicks didn’t pack a punch.

The second quarter saw a more even game where both teams had few chances. What made Japan avert danger to their goal was the ability of their players to switch quickly from defence to attack. The final 10 minutes of the first half saw the Indian forward line losing its sharpness. Players like Navneet Kaur, Sharmila Devi, Lalremsiami and others hardly showed the intensity to break through the opposition’s defence.

Resurgent India, Resilient Japan

The Indian team was expected to come back hard in the second half. But the Japan side wasn’t unprepared. The team wrestled it out in the midfield for most of the third quarter though there were a couple of good chances for India. As Japan pushed forward, their defence made the mistake of leaving just two players back in the defence. On one occasion, Sharmila almost beat the two defenders and leveled the score, but she was foiled.

India vs Japan in Women’s Asia Cup 2022: Full Match Report

And then, in a huge blow for India, a hard sweep from outside the circle, from the right, got deflected into the goal by Tanaka in the 42nd minute. The third quarter ended with Japan leading 2-0.

Last quarter was all about India pushing hard around the Japanese circle. They kept running into the defenders of the opposing team. Yuri Nagai’s team fell back into its own half completely to deny India any chance of a comeback. Both teams got penalty corners in the second half. But neither side showed any efficacy in converting these into goals.

Eventually, time ran out and India suffered their first defeat of the tournament. Japan have shown that they are a strong contender for the title. India, despite their reputation, have to work hard to justify their favourites tag.