Photo via Hindustan Times

44 years later, India’s women are Asian Games hockey champions again

Ending a four-decade drought, the Indian women's hockey squad secured the gold medal at the twentieth continental multi-sport event by defeating the reigning titleholders and Olympic silver medallists by a narrow one-goal margin in the championship match. This victory simultaneously guaranteed the victors a direct qualification berth for the upcoming Olympic games in Los Angeles.

The decisive strike arrived during the opening quarter when Sakshi Rana finished off a sequence initiated by captain Salima Tete and involving Lalremsiami, sending a powerful reverse shot past opposing goalkeeper Liu Ping. Goalkeeper Savita Punia later preserved the advantage by stopping a crucial penalty stroke, while defensive resilience and successful video reviews thwarted subsequent scoring attempts from the opposing side.

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