India beat South Korea 2-0 to reach Asian Games women's hockey final
Ishika Chaudhary and captain Salima Tete scored in the second half as India beat South Korea 2-0 in Nagoya to reach the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games women's hockey final, setting up a Friday gold-medal clash with defending champions China.
India’s women’s hockey team moved to within one win of ending a 44-year wait for a second Asian Games gold, beating South Korea 2-0 in the semifinal in Nagoya on Wednesday.
After a goalless first half in which India dominated but could not convert eight penalty corners, Ishika Chaudhary broke the deadlock in the 44th minute with a deflection from a penalty-corner variation. Four minutes later, captain Salima Tete doubled the lead with a field goal after a solo run down the right.
South Korean goalkeeper Seoyeon Lee was outstanding, brilliantly saving Deepika’s flick from the second-minute penalty corner and denying a deflection from Rutuja Dadaso Pisal in the 13th minute. Korea earned four consecutive penalty corners late in the match but India’s defence held firm to keep a clean sheet.
“I am feeling very good now we are in the finals. This is what we wanted, and the energy was too good and we played united so it was a good game,” Ishika said afterwards.
India arrived at the semifinal unbeaten in Pool B, with wins over Uzbekistan (19-0), Indonesia (17-1), Thailand (20-1), hosts Japan (3-1) and Singapore (7-0). South Korea had won four of their five matches, their only defeat coming 3-0 to group winners China.
The last — and only — Indian women’s hockey gold at the Asian Games came at New Delhi in 1982. India will face defending champions China in Friday’s final after China beat Japan 4-2 in a shoot-out in the other semifinal, while South Korea meet Japan in the bronze-medal match.
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