Mumbai, June 4: After an impressive performance in the pool stage, the Indian men’s and women’s teams are ready to compete in the semifinals of the Under-18 Asia Cup 2026.
The women’s team secured the top position in Pool A by winning all three of their matches. They scored a remarkable 30 goals while conceding only 2 throughout the pool stage.
India kicked off their campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Malaysia, followed by a stunning 3-1 win over Korea. In their final pool match, the Indian team delivered an outstanding performance, crushing Singapore 25-0 to solidify their top standing.
So far, Naushin Naz has been the leading scorer for India, netting 10 goals. Geetashree Nami contributed 5 goals, while captain Sweety Kujur added 4 goals, and Priyanka Minj scored 3. The Indian women’s team will face China in the semifinals on June 5, with China finishing second in Pool B after securing 2 wins and 1 draw.
Meanwhile, the men’s team finished second in Pool A with 3 wins and 1 loss. They have scored 32 goals while conceding just 6. The men’s team began their tournament with a remarkable 13-0 victory against Kazakhstan but faced a setback with a 4-2 loss to host Japan. They bounced back with a 4-1 win over Korea and secured their semifinal spot with a dominant 13-1 victory against Chinese Taipei.
Captain Ketan Kushwaha leads the scoring chart for India with 7 goals, while Ashish Tani Purti has netted 6 goals. Ghazi Khan and Shah Rukh Ali each contributed 3 goals.
On June 5, India will clash with Pakistan in Semifinal 2. Pakistan topped Pool B with 2 wins and 1 loss in their three matches.
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