Indian Women's Hockey Team Dominates Uzbekistan in Asian Games 2026 Opener

Coach Sjoerd Marijne Reflects on Victory

The chief coach of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team, Sjoerd Marijne, shared his thoughts on the team's impressive 19-0 win against Uzbekistan in their opening match of the Asian Games 2026. While he commended the players for their performance, he emphasized the need to quickly shift focus to their upcoming match against Indonesia, which is set for tomorrow. Deepika emerged as the standout player, netting eight goals, five of which came from penalty corners, while Ishika contributed with a hat-trick.

Marijne's Insights on the Match

In a video shared by Hockey India on X, Marijne praised the team's execution, particularly their penalty corner strategies, field goals, and overall chance creation. He stated, "Today was a good match. We got a lot of PCs. We scored a lot of field goals. We created enough. I think we did our work, and that was the most important thing for today. Now we have to move on to tomorrow against Indonesia. So, recovery and up to the next match from the tournament."

Match Highlights: India vs Uzbekistan

The match began with Lalremsiami scoring the first goal in the sixth minute after a rebound from Navneet Kaur's shot. Deepika quickly followed with a powerful strike, and Ishika added a third goal with a well-placed shot from a pass by Sunelita. Baljeet rounded off the first quarter with a fourth goal, making it 4-0.

In the second quarter, Neha scored a stunning reverse-hit goal, bringing the score to 5-0. Deepika converted a penalty corner for her second goal, followed by Rutuja's rebound finish. Deepika completed her hat-trick with another penalty corner, leading to an 8-0 halftime score.

The third quarter saw Deepika score four more goals, all from penalty corners, bringing her total to seven. Ishika, Sakshi Rana, and Lalthantluangi also contributed to the score, pushing the lead to 15-0.

In the final quarter, Navneet Kaur added another goal, while Deepika and Ishika completed their hat-tricks. Lalthantluangi, Neha, and others also scored, culminating in a remarkable victory. Deepika finished with eight goals, Ishika with three, and Neha and Lalthantluangi each scored twice.

India's Medal Tally Update

As of now, India has secured two medals at the Asian Games 2026. Elavenil Valarivan won silver in the women’s 10m air rifle individual event, and along with Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa Vinod, they claimed silver in the team event. Additionally, Suchika Tariyal earned a medal after defeating Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa in the women’s Traditional 60kg quarterfinal.