Navneet Kaur converts penalty corner for India in very first minute of match
Zixia Ou returns favour in 21st minute
China secure direct qualification for 2026 Women's Hockey World Cup
The Indian women's hockey team lost 1-4 to China in the Asia Cup final in Hangzhou on Sunday (September 14, 2025), missing direct World Cup qualification as China secured their passage to the 2026 global showpiece.
Early Lead for India, But China Respond Strongly
The Indian team started the final against China with a burst of energy. India took the lead within the first minute, as Navneet Kaur converted a penalty corner just 39 seconds into the match. This early goal gave India a promising start and put immediate pressure on the Chinese side.
However, China responded quickly, earning back-to-back penalty corners just three minutes later. The Indian defence, led by Salima Tete, stood firm and denied China an equaliser at that stage.
Stunned by India's early goal, China increased their offensive pressure and launched continuous attacks on the Indian half. Despite these efforts, the Indian defence held strong during the first quarter. The Chinese team maintained relentless pressure and earned another set of penalty corners two minutes into the second quarter, but again failed to breach India's resolute defence.
China continued to create chances and kept the ball inside the Indian circle, but could not find the equaliser until later in the match.
China's Persistence Pays Off With Equaliser, Second-Half Dominance
The home team's relentless pressure finally paid off in the 21st minute when Zixia Ou converted a penalty corner to level the score at 1-1. This equaliser lifted China's morale significantly, and they continued to push for the lead, keeping India's defence under tremendous pressure.
Despite China's dominance in possession and attack, both teams went into the half-time break tied at 1-1. China had been the more dominant side in the first half, consistently threatening India's goal.
After the break, India attempted to switch gears and played more attacking hockey. However, their efforts were largely stifled by China's solid defensive play, which kept the ball away from their own circle. Meanwhile, China's persistent attacks again paid off when Hong Li scored a field goal from a counterattack four minutes before the end of the third quarter, giving China a crucial lead.
Late Goals Seal China's Third Women's Asia Cup Title
Trailing by a goal entering the fourth and final quarter, India—ranked ninth in the world—pressed hard for an equaliser but could not break through China's disciplined defence. The Chinese team extended their lead by scoring two more goals within two minutes, effectively securing their victory and third Asia Cup title.
In the 51st minute, Meirong Zou scored from a field effort, followed by Jiaqi Zhong adding another field goal in the 53rd minute. China had previously won the Asia Cup in 1989 in Hong Kong and again in 2009 in Bangkok. Their win in Hangzhou not only marked their third title but also secured direct qualification for the 2026 Women's Hockey World Cup, which will be held in Belgium and the Netherlands.
India, on the other hand, will now have to go through the World Cup Qualifiers to secure their place at the top global event.
India's Key Forwards Falter
India's attack suffered due to a lacklustre performance from key forwards. Notably, Mumtaz Khan, Lalremsiami, and Sunelita Toppo—who had shown promise in earlier matches—struggled to rise to the occasion in the final. Their subdued performance contributed significantly to India's inability to capitalise on scoring opportunities.
(With PTI inputs)
