Asian Games: History beckons as unbeaten India face South Korea in women’s hockey semifinal

Kakamigahara: An unbeaten India will take on South Korea in the women’s hockey semifinal of the Asian Games 2026 on Wednesday, with the defending Asian Games silver medallists needing two more victories to end a 44-year wait for a second continental gold.

India have been flawless in Pool B, winning all five matches and scoring 66 goals in the process. But their biggest test of the tournament so far awaits at the Kawasaki Juko Stadium, where South Korea will provide a considerably tougher challenge than the opposition India encountered in the pool stage.

The Indian campaign began with a 19-0 rout of Uzbekistan before they overwhelmed Indonesia 17-1 and Thailand 20-1. They then survived their sternest pool-stage test against hosts Japan, winning 3-1, before signing off with a 7-0 victory over Singapore.

South Korea finished second in Pool A with four wins from five matches. Their only setback came against group winners China, who defeated them 3-0, while an 8-0 win over Bangladesh was their biggest victory of the campaign.

India’s attacking depth has been one of the defining features of their run. Drag-flick specialist Deepika has been the tournament’s leading scorer with 21 goals, while Navneet Kaur has contributed 10, including seven from open play. Rutuja Dadaso Pisal has seven goals, with Lalremsiami and Ishika adding six and five respectively.

Deepika’s dual role in the forward line and as India’s primary penalty-corner weapon gives the team an added dimension, while Navneet has also been an option during set-piece situations.

At the other end, India have two experienced options in goal. Captain Savita brings years of international experience, while Bichu Devi has also impressed between the posts. The duo could have a considerably busier evening against a South Korean attack led by midfielder Seungae Park, who has scored eight goals in the tournament.

Chief coach Sjoerd Marijne acknowledged that the semifinal would represent a significant step up in intensity.

“For us, training is the way to stay in rhythm…Everybody knows what is expected from them. We have played opponents against who the challenge was not that big, except Japan. Now it’s a big challenge in the semi-finals of the Asian Games and we are looking forward to play against South Korea.”

India’s last women’s hockey gold at the Asian Games came in 1982. Since then, the team has had to wait for another opportunity to reclaim the continental title.

That wait could be reduced to one match if India overcome South Korea.

The semifinal begins at 7 pm local time (3:30 pm IST) on Wednesday. With a place in the gold-medal match at stake, the five-match winning streak will matter far less than what India produce over the next 60 minutes.

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