India vs China Hockey Final Highlights, Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024: Deepika the match-winner as India are crowned ACT winners once more

#WomensAsianChampionsTrophy #Hockey ?

? Winners of 2024 Asian Champions Trophy ??https://t.co/IG0538NL9f pic.twitter.com/hiSW9MDmv8

— Express Sports (@IExpressSports) November 20, 2024

Harendra Singh reflects on the final:

They were playing between our 25 yard line and the 50-yard line. We knew that if they would come aggressive at us, then we would benefit in some quarter. Because we were the fitter in the tournament, so we also got the benefit of that. If you would have seen the third or fourth quarters, we brought them under total control. We wanted that they come at us with full press. There is a saying that if someone leaves his house, then naturally I will go to steal if the lock is not in place.

Harendra Singh looks ahead: 

Our next core group will be of 40. I am not satisfied to keep roaming around with 24-25. We will keep selecting the nucleus from among the 40 which will be the preparation for the Asian Games and World Cup. Asian Games, we are going to see which of our 22-24 players will go but it will not be just the training of 22-24, it will be of 40. Out of that, we will keep trying new players of new combinations because when there will be healthy competition within the team, then everyone will know what they have to do to be in the 24. So if we don't do it for the rest, then definitely many people will be there. It happens to Indian players very quickly if they go on continuing in the tournament, I don't want to make anyone complacent, if anyone has done it then earn the color I am not going to distribute.

Coach Harendra Singh's post-match thoughts:

The team's performance was not good for the last one and a half years, so I think this is like a tonic. And we need to keep our feet on the ground, this is a good start, which will give confidence where we need to work more. I had already told you that the Asian Champions Trophy will be the starting point of this journey for 2028, so I think that the World Cup and Asian Games in 2026 is the acid test. I think we are going in the right direction, if you people appreciate it in my opinion. People are talking about penalty corners, this is a process. A 21-year-old girl, when she had to deliver, she did it for me today. She might have missed ten goals, whatever, but that was important, so in that process, she and the whole team created an attacking hockey with good defensive structure. Not a single shot on the goalkeeper, what more can I ask for. But it should not be that we start celebrating so much that we forget the way and go somewhere else.

Reminder of the key individual awards:

Best goalkeeper: Yu Kudo (Japan)

Tournament's leading goalscorer: Deepika (India)

Player of the tournament: Deepika (India)

The Indian Women’s Hockey Team were crowned Champions of the Bihar Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Rajgir 2024, at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium today, after a 1-0 victory over China in the Final. The game saw both team trade blows in the first half but India upped the intensity in the second half and a goal from Deepika (31’) ensured India defend their Asian Champions Trophy title.

JUST IN: Hockey India declared a reward of ?3 Lakh each for all players and ?1.5 Lakh each for all support staff following the Indian Women’s Hockey Team's triumphant victory in the Bihar Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Rajgir 2024. Adding to this moment, the Asian Hockey Federation has also announced a reward for podium finishers for the very first time in the competition's history. India will receive a substantial USD 10,000, while China and Japan will be awarded USD 7,000 and USD 5,000 respectively.

A special photo: Coach Harendra Singh with Deepika.

He had told Thee Indian Express during a recent press conference: “She is just about to turn 21 and she can be a lethal, world-class striker. Not only field goals, I am really working on her drag flicks. She is already scoring but he can get better. I am not putting any pressure, but she has a bright future. After the Pro League, I had a one-on-one meeting with her. I told her I am going to make you one of the best strikers, but for that we have to work a lot. She is getting a lot of confidence from this tournament.”

FULL TIME STATS: 

Goals: India 1-0 China 

Shots: India 5-2 China 

Circle entries: India 14-8 China

Possession: India 52% - 48% China 

Penalty corners: India 1/6 - China 0/2 

A cheque of USD 10,000 for champions India. 

Captain Salima Tete receives the cheque and then picks up the trophy.

The fireworks go off in Rajgir. 

Bronze: Japan

Silver: China

Gold: India

Players receive their medals. 

PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT: DEEPIKA

11 goals, 4 of them field goals, 6 penalty corners, 1 from penalty stroke

Tournament's leading goalscorer: DEEPIKA 

She runs onto the stage with full enthusiasm. 

Best goalkeeper of the tournament: Yu Kudo 

Absolutely well deserved. What a star she has been between the posts.

?? Deepika's story. https://t.co/495xvCc8If pic.twitter.com/2a6FVrzuXR

— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) November 20, 2024

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Lalremsiami 

An interesting choice, that. But a good choice too. She was tireless on both flanks. She says the team has been having a really good time since the start of the tournament, and the key to winning the final was keeping the self-belief in second half. 

How Deepika, from a wrestling family, developed into India’s drag-flicking forward - ACT's goalscorer 

As a kid, Deepika's father took her along when her brother went to train at the wrestling center in Hisar. She, after all, came from a family of wrestlers and hailed originally from a village near Rohtak where the sport is deeply entrenched. But Deepika's heart was never set on wrestling, so one day, she'd go out of the center to sit and watch hockey. Coach Azad Singh Malik used to train the likes of Savita Punia and Sonika there. He immediately noticed this kid, around 8 or 9 years world, watching on with a lot of keenness. "First day, I saw her, sitting very attentively and watching us," Malik told The Indian Express. "The next day also she came and sat for a long time, as long as her brother used to practice inside. She was completely engrossed. I told the senior girls 'if she comes tomorrow also, then bring her to me. It means that she has a lot of interest in playing hockey, junoon sa lag raha hai mere ko.' And of course, she came. I asked if she wanted to play, she said yes, I gave her a stick and she never stopped coming to the ground." Fast forward 12 years, Deepika – now 20 – is lighting up the Women's Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir, Bihar. And finishes as India's leading goalscorer and tournament-winner. 

INDIA'S THIRD WACT TITLE:

2016, Singapore 

2023, Ranchi 

2024, Rajgir 

Harendra Singh is hugging each of his player, high-fiveing them. Perhaps the biggest hug goes the end to Deepika, the match-winner for India. 

INDIA ARE CHAMPIONS ONCE MORE! Neha kicks off the celebrations as the clock winds down. She's been a warrior on the night. Harendra has her hands up on the air. Smiles all around. India have defended their title. 

That was a great tackle from Salima to release pressure. India have the ball and running the clock down now.

India win the ball back after the restart, and Sunelita has a great chance to release Sangita into space and take a shot. But her pass is a. bit overhit. 

A break in play, stoppage of clock as Deepika seems to have taken a blow on her chin. It's been that kind of a night all around. 

OUCH: She took a stick on her face. 

56 seconds left. 

A battered and bruised Neha does really well in midfield while surrounded by China's defenders and wins a free hit. 

China take their goalkeeper off with less than one minute to go. 

India are tiring here visibly. They have had lesser recovery time since last night. But they are hanging on. Navneet is in deep defence now too. all hands on deck tp prevent China from scoring. 

Navneet has played some uncharacteristically sloppy passes in the last few minutes. But she does well this time down India's left as they recycle possession from one flank to another. Less than 3 mins to go, China win the ball back and India immediately retreat. 

Calmness on display from Siami to keep the ball in India's possession high up China's territory for a brief while at least. 

We are into the last four minutes now. 

Sharmila in a nutshell once more. Shows great pace and power of legs to drive through to the opponent's territory but her final ball is disappointing. It's been her problem since the Janneke Schopman days. 

A rare spell of possesion for India in this final quarter but they are unable to hold for too long. They are increasingly starting to withdraw, Chi8na are the clearly dominant side at the moment. Could well be a nervy finish here for th he hosts. 

Some great work in deep defence by India's defenders, the likes of Sushila and Vaishnavi doing really well to weather this spell of dominance from India. Sushila with a sensational steal there. That is top class. Shortly after calm recycling in deep defence by Vaishnavi, who has quietly had a really good tournament. 

10 mins left in this match. China upping the ante. 

Once again, India mistrap the injection. Have to wonder if the pitch is playing a part in this. Because it has happened far too often. But Navneet does well to find Sushila in space, her slap across goal is deflected by Wu Surong! 

What a run by Sangita! India do well again to play out from the back, and the ball finds Sangita down the left touchline. She does superbly to beat 3-4 defenders, cutting into the circle. A superb run, even while being off balance. She wins a PC for India. 

Savita is off to the sidlelines and Bichu is back in goal. Will we see a shootout still? China are still very much in this contest. 

So, a mixed quarter for India. A mixed quarter for Deepika. She did superbly to open the scoring but she also missed the stroke that could have out India 2-0 up. She is on her haunches at the end of that quarter, can she garner the mental fortitude to quickly put that miss behind her? 

Final quarter about to begin. 

PENALTY STROKE MISSED BY DEEPIKA: Phew, what a save by Li Ting! She guesses the right way, dives to the right and gets the stick out in time to save the stroke. Fantastic goalkeeping, Deepika slightly guilty of underhitting that. 

WHAT A MOVE! Ishika is boxed into a corner down India's left flank. But she plays a pass out to Neha, who releases Sunelita with a cute touch. Sunelita once again plays a WONDERFUL pass to find Deepika in space. The forward makes a marauding run into the circle, weaving one way and then the other. Her mazy run into the circle results in a foul by China. PENALTY STROKE. China review, but lose the review as well. 

India continuing to press China high up. Not sitting back just yet. 

Oh, chance India: Sunelita does so well at the halfway line down the right to steal the ball back (she has been really good in winning possession back) and feeds a sharp ball to Sangita. The latter makes a quick turn and makes an angular run into the circle, makes space on her backhand side but the ball is pushed out a bit too far and the angle gets tighter. Her shot is saved by Li Ting. 

"She is just about to turn 21 and she can be a lethal, world-class striker," coach Harendra Singh said. "Not only field goals, I am really working hard on her drag flicks. She is already scoring but he can get better. I am not putting any pressure on her, but she has a bright future. After the Pro League, I had a 1-on-1 meeting with her. I told her I am going to make you one of the best strikers, but for that we have to work a lot. She is getting a lot of confidence from this tournament, she was low on morale when I spoke to her the first time."

China will have to up the ante now and that could give India more spaces in the back. India have been good at scoring quick goals in this tournament, one usually follows another. Amnd they are keeping a good attacking intensity here as well, not letting China dictate. 

DEEPIKA!!! INDIA HAVE BROKEN THE DEADLOCK. The PC is actually not trapped well by Sushila as Deepika was shaping up for a drag flick. But Navneet is quick to recycle the ball into the circle. The ball falls to Deepika inside the circle once and she takes her time, composes herself on the backhand side and unleashes a reverse-hit on goal to score India's first and her 11th of the tournament. 

That is why Deepika is such an exciting talent. As Harendra said, she offers a variety of routes to goal. The drag flick didn't work out but her reverse hit pays off. 

Almost right out of the gate in the second half, Siami forces a PC out of China's defence. Can India convert?  India have Navneet and Deepika. 

Savita is back in goal for India. Li Ting for China. Players are out in the middle. Here we go again. 

HALF TIME STATS: 

Shots: India 1-1 China

Circle entries: India 9-4 China

Possession: India 52% - China 48%

PCs: India 0/4 - China 0/2

By all accounts, this has been the closest match for India so far. 

China run down the clock in their own half and it brings an end to a very intense first half of hockey, just like you'd expect in a high-stakes final. India have perhaps created more chances but the best chance of the match so far has fallen to China, when India's goalkeeper Bichu made a flying save. 

Time for a breather, and for Harendra Singh to reaasses his plans. 

Green card for Neha and India will finish this half and start the second half with a player short. 

Oh, nearly a great run by Navneet. The Indian vice captain does brilliantly down the middle to beat two defenders with a fine direction change but once she cut back, her pass to Neha is overhit. 

The broadcasters show another replay of the save Bichu made earlier... it gets better with every replay. Absolutely stunning. 

Salima plays a lovely give-and-go in the midfield, keeps continuing her run down the right, and plays a cross into the box. Preeti controls it well but with her back to goal, she is not able to test Wu Surong. 

Really slack passing from Jyoti in defence, and her bobbling long pass to Udita is miscontrolled to give possession away under no pressure at all. 

The injection is not trapped properly and Lalremsiami, as the first rusher, makes a superb interception that gives India a chance to counter. Neha's pass to Deepika is just a bit heavy and the forward is unable to control it in her stride. That was a chance missed! 

China with pressure down the left flank and they draw a foul from Ishika Chaudhary to win a PC. 

Bichu will be tested again. 

Now, Sangita gets a green card and India's numerical advantage has been nullified for two minutes. 

FOURTH PC FOR INDIA: Deepika will take this again. India try a variation this time. Deepika shapes for a flick and then plays a late pass to the injector which is Jyoti, but she is not able to sort her feet out. China can breathe. 

THREE PCS ON THE TROT FOR INDIA: And thrice, China have kept India out. Deepika first went down the middle, then to Surong's left and finally to her right. That last one is deflected wide. 

YELLOW CARD: Qiuchan Deng's second infringement of the game and that means it is a yellow card for her. Five minutes off the pitch.

WHAT A SAVE, BICHU: That is almost a football save! Sensational from the Indian youngster, as TAN Jinzhuang gets a shot away from a second ball. The ball is heading into the goal to Bichu's right, and she flies in the air to save it. 

PC FOR CHINA: Oh that was superb stick work from HAO Guoting down the left flank, she plays a lovely 360-degree-sweep pass into the danger area and it catches Vaishnavi's foot.