New Delhi: India’s women’s national field hockey team reached the final of the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifiers 2026 after defeating Italy’s women’s national field hockey team 1-0 in a closely fought semi-final at G. MC Baliyogi Hockey Stadium on Friday.The match was tight for most of the game, with both teams battling hard in midfield and creating limited clear-cut chances. India will now face England Women’s National Field Hockey Team in the final on March 14 at 7:30 PM IST.India started strongly and made several attacking moves early on, but Italy gradually counter-attacked and threatened the Indian defense with a few promising attacks.
India took more control in the second quarter and began to use the wings to move forward. The hosts won a number of penalty corners but failed to convert them. Navneet Kaur’s shot from India’s first penalty corner in the 18th minute was saved by Italian goalkeeper Lucia Innes Caruso. Later in the half, India tried an interesting variation when captain Salima Tate took a shot after playing the ball back, but an Italian defender blocked it on the goal line. Soon after, another penalty corner went wide.Italy threatened early in the second half when Emilia Monitas broke through on goal, but Indian goalkeeper Bechu Devi Kharibam made a crucial save to keep the scores level.Success finally came in the 40th minute when India won another penalty corner. Manisha Chauhan stepped up and fired a powerful drag flick straight down the middle to score the only goal of the match.Italy pushed hard for an equalizer in the closing minutes and even won a late penalty corner in the 59th minute, but India’s defense held firm to secure the win.
