India Stays Top of Elite Pool After Crushing Japan in Junior Asia Cup

The Indian junior women’s hockey team continued its flawless run at the 2026 Junior Asia Cup by overwhelming Japan 7-0 in the third elite‑pool showdown on Tuesday.

The victory guaranteed a quarter‑final berth and kept India unbeaten, with a nine‑goal tally from three games, the highest in the elite pool.

After opening the campaign with a 4-1 win over Korea and an 11-1 demolition of Malaysia, India entered the match against Japan with confidence and an attacking mindset.

Krishna Sharma broke the deadlock in the fifth minute. A penalty awarded in the ninth minute after a Japanese defender’s infringement was converted by Supreya, making it 2-0.

Purnima Yadav added a field goal at 14 minutes, ending the first quarter at 3-0.

Japan could not respond in the second quarter, leaving the score unchanged at halftime.

The third quarter saw a flurry of Indian goals. Geeta Yadav scored in the 41st minute and repeated the feat four minutes later. One minute after the restart, Purnima Yadav secured her second goal, pushing the tally to 6-0.

Sanika Chandrakant Mane finished the scoring in the 50th minute, sealing a 7-0 win.

India’s final pool encounter is against China on Wednesday, a match that will decide the group’s top position. China currently holds six points from two matches.