MOQI, SEP 9 (IANS): India’s campaign at the AHF Junior Asia Cup 2026 witnessed contrasting fortunes for the men’s and women’s junior teams on Wednesday in Moqi, China, as the defending champions in the men’s category stormed into the semi-finals with a record-breaking win, while the women’s side held China to a goalless draw to top their pool and set up a quarter-final clash against Pakistan.
The men’s team produced a ruthless performance, dismantling Chinese Taipei 15-0 in their final Pool A fixture. Captain Anmol Ekka was the undisputed star of the evening, scoring six goals — all from penalty corners — to underline India’s set-piece mastery. After a frustrating opening quarter where Chinese Taipei’s defence held firm, India broke through in the 17th minute via Aryan Xess. Prabhdeep Singh doubled the lead a minute later, and Gursewak Singh added a third in the 22nd minute. Ekka then opened his account with a penalty corner conversion in the 25th minute, followed by Arjun Santosh Hargude’s strike in the 28th minute. Ekka’s second goal moments later ensured India went into half-time with a commanding 6-0 lead.
The third quarter saw India completely dominate. Ekka converted two penalty corners in quick succession to complete his hat-trick and added another soon after to take his tally to four. Ajeet Yadav joined the scoring in the 35th minute before Ekka struck again in the 45th minute to notch his fifth of the night, pushing India into double figures. Harpal added his first in the 48th minute, and Ekka completed his remarkable six-goal haul three minutes later. Harpal scored again soon after, while Aryan Xess rounded off the rout with his second goal, sealing a 15-0 victory. The result took India to the top of Pool A with 10 points from three wins and a draw, while South Korea joined them in the semi-finals after edging Japan 3-2. Japan, Indonesia, and Chinese Taipei were eliminated and will now contest classification matches. India’s emphatic win not only highlighted their attacking depth but also reinforced their efficiency in penalty corner conversions, setting them up confidently for the knockout stage.
India women hold China, set up QF clash with Pak
Meanwhile, the Indian junior women’s team faced a sterner test against hosts China in their final Elite Pool encounter. In a tightly contested match, both sides failed to find the breakthrough, resulting in a 0-0 draw. Despite the stalemate, India finished at the top of the Elite Pool with 10 points from three wins and a draw, edging China on superior goal difference. The match began with China on the offensive, earning an early penalty corner and later a penalty stroke in the first quarter. However, Indian goalkeeper Nidhi produced a crucial save to deny the hosts. The save lifted India’s confidence, and they began to grow into the contest, launching attacks of their own. China’s defence remained resolute, while their counter-attacks kept India alert. The first quarter ended goalless, setting the tone for a tense battle.
India started the second quarter with attacking intent, but China continued to threaten, earning another penalty corner midway through. India’s defence held firm, and towards the end of the quarter, India earned a penalty corner of their own. Though the initial attempt was blocked, the re-awarded corner was also cleared by China’s disciplined backline. The half-time score remained 0-0. The third quarter saw both teams trade attacking moves, with India creating openings and China pressing for a breakthrough. India’s defence stayed compact, and when China earned another penalty corner late in the quarter, they once again thwarted the attempt. The final quarter mirrored the earlier phases, with both sides searching for the decisive goal. India remained disciplined defensively, while China’s defence also held firm. Ultimately, neither team could breach the opposition, and the match ended in a goalless draw.
With both teams finishing on 10 points, India’s superior goal difference ensured they topped the Elite Pool. They will now face Pakistan in Quarter-Final 1 on September 10. Pakistan finished third in the Challenger Pool with seven points from four matches. The team will look to carry their defensive resilience and attacking flair into the quarter-finals as they aim for a strong finish in the tournament.
