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Defending champions India continued their unbeaten run in the women's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament, defeating Japan 2-0 to enter the final in Rajgir on Tuesday. Vice-captain Navneet Kaur converted a penalty stroke in the 48th minute, while Lalaremsiami struck from field play in the 56th minute for India, who had plenty of scoring chances, including 13 penalty corners.India will face China, whom they defeated in the league stages, in the final on Wednesday. Earlier, China beat Malaysia 3-1 in the first semifinal. Malaysia will take on Japan in the third-fourth place match, while Korea finished fifth after beating Thailand 3-0 in the fifth-sixth place classification match.The Indians continued their attacking game and put on early pressure on the Japanese defense, just like the last league game. The play was mostly inside the Japanese half as the Indian defense was hardly tested. India had the first shot at the goal inside the initial five minutes, but skipper Salima Tete's attempt was thwarted by Japanese goalkeeper Yu Kudo.The Indians repeatedly penetrated the Japanese citadel and in the process secured two penalty corners in a span of two minutes, but Kudo was alert under the bar to deny Navneet Kaur and Deepika. Three minutes into the second quarter, India secured three back-to-back penalty corners but failed to find the back of the net.It was raining penalty corners for the hosts as they got back-to-back set pieces in the 21st minute, but Kudo produced a brilliant save with her fully-stretched right leg to deny Deepika again. In the 24th minute, India earned a penalty corner followed by another in the next minute but failed to get past Japanese goalkeeper Kudo, as they also lacked in execution.A minute after the change of ends, India secured two penalty corners but wasted both. In the 35th minute, Kodu again denied Deepika from a set piece. In the 41st minute, Deepika stole the ball just outside the Japanese circle but shot wide from a one-on-one situation with Kudo.Seconds from the end of the third quarter, Kudo once again pulled off a brilliant save to deny Udita from another penalty corner. In the 47th minute, India secured their 12th penalty corner but failed to breach Kudo. But a minute later, India broke the deadlock through a penalty stroke earned by Deepika, and Navneet made no mistake.The goal seemed to have rejuvenated the Indians as they scored a fine field goal in the 56th minute. Lalremsiami slammed into the back of the Japanese goal after she was brilliantly set up by Sunelita Toppo's terrific run from the right flank. Japan got a penalty corner in the dying moments but failed to get past a rock-solid Indian defense.

India vs Japan: Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2024 Semifinal PreviewIndia will face Japan in the semifinals of the Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2024 on Thursday, November 19, at 4:45 PM IST. The match will be played in Rajgir, Bihar, and will be telecast live on Sony Sports network and streamed live on Sony LIV.India has been in impressive form throughout the tournament, winning all five of their group stage matches. They defeated Japan 3-0 in their final group stage encounter. Japan, on the other hand, finished second in their group with three wins and two losses.India will be looking to continue their unbeaten run and secure a place in the final. They have a strong team led by captain Savita Punia, who has been in excellent form in goal. Other key players for India include Vandana Katariya, Lalremsiami, and Gurjit Kaur.Japan will be hoping to cause an upset and reach the final. They have a talented team led by captain Yuri Nagai. Other key players for Japan include Yui Ishibashi, Hazuki Nagai, and Shihori Oikawa.The match is expected to be a close and exciting contest. India will be the favorites, but Japan will be determined to prove their worth. The winner of the match will advance to the final, where they will face the winner of the other semifinal between China and South Korea.

India continued its dominant run in the Asian Champions Trophy, securing a 3-0 victory over Japan in the final league match at the Rajgir Sports Complex. This triumph propelled India to the semifinals as table-toppers, setting up a potential rematch with Japan in the last four.Despite Japan's loss, they also booked a spot in the semifinals as the fourth-ranked side. This was India's sixth win over Japan in seven encounters, but Japan had emerged victorious in their last meeting earlier this year, scoring the lone goal to deny India an Olympic berth.That defeat had led to a major overhaul of the Indian team and coaching staff. While the Japanese team in this tournament is different, the heartbreak of that loss still lingered in the Indian players' minds.India's dominance was evident throughout the match, with Japan struggling to create any significant scoring opportunities. The Indian defense, led by goalkeeper Savita Punia, stood firm, denying Japan any clear shots on goal.India's offense, on the other hand, was relentless. Navneet Kaur broke the deadlock in the 37th minute with a reverse hit, capitalizing on a backpass from Lalremsiami. Deepika then converted two penalty corners in quick succession at the start of the final quarter, sealing the victory for India.In the other matches, China defeated Korea 2-0, while Malaysia secured a 2-0 win over Thailand. These results set up the semifinals, with India facing China and Malaysia taking on Japan.India's performance in this tournament has been a testament to the team's resilience and determination. After the disappointment of missing out on the Olympics, the team has regrouped and is now on the cusp of another title.