~Hina Bano (14′), Sunelita Toppo (24′) and Ishika (31′) were the scorers for India~
Santiago, Chile, December 8, 2025: The Indian junior women’s hockey team recorded an impressive 3-1 victory over Wales in their 9/16 qualifying match during the FIH Junior Women’s World Cup match at the Centro Deportivo de Hockey Césped, Estadio Nacional, Santiago on Monday. Hina Bano (14′), Sunelita Toppo (24′) and Ishika (31′) scored for India, while Eloise Moat (52′) scored the only goal for Wales.
India started the match on the forefront and asserted themselves against the opposition with a Penalty Corner in the first 30 seconds. They regularly played between the lines to create chances, but could not find the opening goal early. Wales had the chance to take the lead with a penalty but were denied by Nidhi as she made a sharp stop to keep the scores level. India finally managed to break the deadlock towards the end of the first quarter, thanks to a tap-in from Hina Bano (14′), after some good work from Sakshi Rana.
Looking to double their lead, India maintained the pressure with another Penalty Corner at the start of the second quarter. They continued to create chances regularly and were rewarded for their perseverance after Sakshi Rana’s first shot fell towards Sunelita Toppo (24′), who made no mistake from close range. With fourteen circle penetrations in the first half, India took a creditable 2-0 lead at half-time.
India extended their lead to 3-0 early in the second half when Ishika (31′) found the back of the net after a rebound from the Welsh goalkeeper fell her way. Jyoti Singh’s side controlled the pace of the match and stretched the Welsh defense by playing between the lines and pressing high, while remaining disciplined and compact at the back. They continued to create chances and pushed Wales back into their own half to end the third quarter.
With the lion’s share of possession, India continued to look for more scoring opportunities to further extend their lead in the final quarter. Wales had an opening at the other end and Eloise Moat (52′) made it count by pulling one towards her side. However, that turned out to be just a consolation goal as India held on to secure a well-deserved 3-1 win.
India will next play Uruguay on December 9. All matches of the 2025 FIH Junior Women’s World Cup will be streamed live on JioHotstar.
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