India vs Korea Highlights, Women’s Hockey Asia Cup Super 4s: Solid IND begin Super 4s with a 4-2 win against Korea ahead of China clash

China's Women's Asia Cup so far:

8-0 vs MAS

3-0 vs KOR

20-0 vs TPE

2-0 vs JPN.

33 goals scored, 0 conceded.

India will face China next on Thursday, with a scheduled pushback at 4.30 pm IST.

INDIA BEGIN SUPER 4S WITH A 4-2 WIN VERSUS KOREA

Two goals that India conceded, both very identical, made things a little nervy but India were by far the better side going forward. Attack after attack. And the final result is a fair indication of that.

GOALLLLL INDIA! The Indian persistence in attack pays off in the end again. Udita takes the slap from the first battery, the shot is saved again but the ball is bobbling loose, before Rutuja dives forward and turns the ball in. The umpire was starting to signal another PC but didn't blow the whistle so the goal stood. That's great officiating.

Just over two mins to go, Korea win the ball back. Will India hold off? They win the ball back in midfield and now you imagine they'd look run the clock down.

SAVE LEE SEOYEON! India try the variation again where the injection is towards Navneet in the 2nd battery. She once takes a touch and then touches the ball back to Udita in the first battery. The low slap is saved superbly by a diving Lee.

GOALLLL KOREA! That is almost a carbon copy of Korea's first goal. The injection is towards Kim Yujin at the 2nd battery and her low powerful strike just flies straight into goal, beating Salima's rush. Bichu had fallen the wrong side and there is no stopping this.

India's PC defence... not ideal. Korea have brought this alive again!

Thrilling 6 mins to come, potentially.

A rare Korean foray forward at pace, but India get back in numbers. Neha with what you would call a good tactical foul.

But Korea keep the pressure up and win a PC. The ball into the box goes behind off Vaishnavi's stick and it is deemed deliberate. That is a bit harsh but them's the rules.

PC FOR KOREA.

PARK Yeongeun gets a green card. India have another two-minute spell with a player's advantage.

Lalremsiami is going to remember this match for more reasons than one. The goal apart, she has taken some body blows today in midfield. But she soldiers on, as she always does.

India keep the ball well with the clock winding down in the third quarter and India have a two-goal cushion heading into the final 15 minutes. India are good value for the lead here.

Another PC for India. Looked it was won by Jyoti down the right flank. The injection is to Udita this time in first battery, but the low slap is once again turned aside by Korea's goalkeeper. Salima is unable to control the high rebound.

SAVED BY KIM! India go for a variaion this time. Navneet from the 2nd battery is where the injection goes. She takes a touch and then touches the ball behind to Udita, who's shot on goal is saved brilliantly by Kim with her foot.

Good possession for India, Nikki and Ishika doing well down the left to evade the Korean press. The ball comes to Salima who cuts in and switches play well to the right flank. But Sharmila Devi, who has a problem with finding the right pass in the final third, hits a Korean defender's stick and the move breaks down.

GOALLL KOREA! And Korea do hit back straight away. KIM Yujin! The ball is injected well to the second battery and Kim just drives the ball low and straight past the rushing Sunelita. The power carries the ball all the way through.

A very quick response.

GOALLLLL INDIA!!! Sangita Kumari doubles India's lead.

India win the ball back down the right after a stray pass out of defence. Salima drills a ball into the middle, it is deflected and falls to Rutuja who does superbly under pressure to pass the ball to Sangita who is open in front of goal and lifts the ball in.

Korea get things underway in the second half.

As we had thought, it is indeed Bichu in goal for the 2nd quarter as well.

SAVE BICHU! The Indian goalie does well again, this time alert to the injector coming in front of her looking for a deflection. It's a sharp reflex save and she is ready for the rebound too, gloving one away.

Oh lovely tackle at the edge of the circle from Vaishnavi, once again an example of what Harendra wants to see. It starts off a lovely counter from India with four forwards driving together towards Korean goal. Navneet once again the creative force, and her through ball is well timed to release Sharmila down the right. Her pace comes into play, she is one of the speediest going around. But her final pass is not quite right. Had to be more decisive there, that was a good chance.

Second quarter underway. Rutuja given an early green card and India will have to be careful for the next couple of minutes as she serves out a suspension. Korea come forward down the left, captain Eunbi with another nice-looking cross into the circle but the attempted deflection goes wide.

A couple of PCs come and go.

Both these PCs go to Navneet at the 2nd battery. The first strike is to the GK's right and the save bounces into Vasihnavi's chin as she was looking for another rebound.

From the retake, Navneet goes to the other side of the goalie, this time looking to find Suneltia's run into the circle but the hit is too powerful and goes wide.

Mihir Vasavda: Udita's slap hit angle from penalty corner is quite unusual.

Udita's first take is blocked off. India get a retake, the trapping is not great this time, but India rotate the ball well before eventually winning another PC. Udita goes for a low slap again and the goalkeeper is in her prone position to block it off.

Korea deal with the series of PCs, then have a chance to counter but the final pass is a poor one.

GOALLLLLL INDIA! The first PC and first goal. That's one way to deal with the conversion question.

The ball is trapped well. Udita touches the ball to her right and takes a low slap at goal as she does. The ball is saved initially but Vaishnavi, who injected the ball, is waiting at the post to sweep the ball home. Alert gameplay.

INDIA 1-0, Vaishnavi. (The commentator seems to think it was Mumtaz, we are fairly certain it's not)

Korean teams, both men's and women's, can be tough to break down. For India, chance conversion is going to be critical. An early goal will be all important.

Here we go then, pushback.

KEEP AN EYE ON INDIA's PCs:

Much like the opening game of their Asia Cup campaign against Thailand, there was never really any doubt about India's result in their final Pool B match versus Singapore, and Salima Tete's side completed a professional performance to register a 12-0 win in Hangzhou on Monday. The goal difference was significant enough to better Japan after they had beaten Thailand 6-0 earlier in the day, meaning India finished top of Pool B. India's real challenge begins from Wednesday in the Super 4s round-robin with three matches in four days against Korea, red-hot favourites China and then a rematch against Japan.

Against Singapore, it was once again vice captain Navneet Kaur (14’, 20’, 28’) who ran the show as she – according to the official tournament stats – scored a hat-trick (one of those, however, appeared to be Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke's goal). There was another hat-trick too, for forward Mumtaz Khan (2’, 32’, 41’),  while Neha (11’, 37’), Lalremsiami (13’), Udita (29’), Sharmila (45’), and Rutuja Pisal (53’) completed the scoring procession. Seven of India's goals came from open play, but one point of concern for coach Harendra Singh would be that India won as many as 21 penalty corners and scored from five of those set-piece chances, roughly 24% conversion rate. Coaches generally believe that the par conversion rate should be at least 33%, meaning one in three chances. 

LEADING GOALSCORERS LIST:

India's toughest test in the Pool stages came against Japan, where the two teams played out a thrilling 2-2 draw.

Here's a recap:

In her 50th appearance for India, and finally getting to be the No 1 goalkeeper for the Indian women's hockey team with Savita Punia sidelined, Bichu Devi Kharibam was largely a spectator in Hangzhou. She had scarce involvment in the match either side of Japan's opening goal in the 10th minute. But when the Cherry Blossoms bloomed in the final quarter, springing to life in the last five minutes, Bichu had to make two massive saves. Suddenly, her evening lit up. And eventually, she was beaten for the second time in the 58th minute by a penalty stroke that saw India go behind 1-2, after dominating possession and carrying significant attacking threat right through the match. A defeat would have been harsh, but a familiar story of missed chances and conceding avoidable goals.

But with 40 seconds left to go on the clock, India upped the ante once more. A penalty corner was won and thwarted, but somehow they stole the back, drove forward to win another one, with milliseconds left on the clock. The whistle from the referee went up just before the final hooter did, so India had the time to take another shot at goal, a ninth PC on the night. Up stepped vice captain Navneet Kaur and fired home a late, late equaliser to rescue a point for India in a thrilling Pool B match against Japan at the Asia Cup. Rutuja Dadaso Pisal (30’) had scored at the stroke of half-time for India's first equaliser. Meanwhile, for Japan, the goals came in the form of Hiroka Murayama (10’) and Chiko Fujibayashi (58’).

Hosts China, after their sensational run to the Paris Olympics final last year under legendary coach Alyson Annan, will start the tournament as clear favourites. Harendra doesn't want his players to get fazed by that. "If we start thinking right now about China, you are giving added pressure to the players. Which we are trying to avoid. Of course, we know they are good. But if we keep talking about the opponent. Then, somewhere in your subconscious mind, you are putting players under pressure. Which we don't want. Given the relegation from Pro League, and the challenges they have faced in the lead-up to this tournament, it is not just the players who will be feeling the heat but the head coach too. "I did a PowerPoint presentation about dealing with this. What is pressure? It is something I am choosing to feel. I see it as a privilege and I have earned this place. It is applicable for both the players and me as a coach. I am fortunate to lead my country. I will take that pressure not as fear but as the fuel to ignite my energy. As must the players."

Thailand vs Chinese Taipei has come to a completion. India vs Korea to start soon.

What Coach Harendra Singh told The Indian Express before the Asia Cup:

China will be favourites. So, how will the players handle playing at their backyard?

Actually, to be frank, we decided in this tournament that we will just go match by match. The good thing about the format of this tournament is that there are two Pools first and then the Super 4s where the top teams play. That's the important stage. So, whatever the shortcomings are, we have to rectify within these first three matches. And when you are entering in the Super 4s League. Then you have to go by match by match. And think about 14th September, playing the last game of the tournament. If we start thinking right now, you are giving added pressure to the players, which we are trying to avoid. Of course, China has a silver medal at Paris 2024. The whole world knows. And the players also know. But if we keep talking about the opponent then somewhere in your subconscious mind, you are putting players under pressure, which we don't want. We want to go by match by match. We have to be clinical in the finishing and in the 1v1 situations. I think you will agree with me. Once you reach the final. The mood of the team. Mood of the players. Everyone goes differently.

Spotted by Dhanraj Pillay, India women team’s goalkeeper Bansari Solanki puts Gujarat on hockey map

The two Ds synonymous with Surat — dhandho (business) and diamond — never interested Bansari Solanki. Growing up, she wanted to be an engineer like her father. “Aeronautics,” she smiles. Sport — hockey, specifically — was not even an afterthought. Until, after a few twists of fate, she was spotted and mentored by the legendary India forward Dhanraj Pillay, then nurtured by Olympian Romeo James to become one of India’s finest goalkeepers currently. A decade after her seemingly improbable journey began, Solanki has put Gujarat, a state with little-to-no tradition in the sport, on the world hockey map. According to hockey historian K Arumugam, the 24-year-old, who is part of the India team for next month’s Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China, is the first woman from the western state to represent the country. She is also the first from Gujarat — male or female — to play for India after Vadodara-born Gobind Savant, who played as a left-half in the silver medal-winning team at the 1960 Olympics in Rome.

By Mihir Vasavda

The goalscorers chart so far... some of the official recording of stats in this tournament has been bizarre with goals being wrongly credited in India's matches, at least. But here's the chart as of now with Navneet and Mumtaz from India on five goals each.

India vs Korea is set for a significant delay but we have the starting XI in already. Here's a look at India's playing setup for the day.

Graphic: The Hockey India / X

Coach Harendra Singh to Hockey India ahead of the Super 4s:

We are pleased with the way the team has started the tournament. The players have shown good intent, maintained discipline, and capitalised on our attacking opportunities. The Pool stage gave us a good platform to build momentum and test ourselves against different styles of play. However, the Super4s stage will be a different challenge altogether as we face strong opponents like Korea, China, and Japan. “Our focus will be on sticking to our structure, being sharp in defence, and making the most of our chances in front of goal. We know that in this stage there is little room for error, so consistency and composure will be key. The players are motivated, they understand the responsibility of wearing the Indian jersey, and they are eager to continue the momentum. If we play to our potential and trust our process, I am confident we can achieve the results we are aiming for.”