The Indian women's hockey team is facing relegation from the FIH Pro League after a 3-0 defeat against China in their penultimate match of the season in Berlin on Saturday. This loss places them at the bottom of the league standings, making it impossible to climb out of the relegation zone, even with one match remaining.
China dominated the match, with goals from Chen Yang (21'), Zhang Ying (26'), and Anhul Yu (45'). India struggled to convert their opportunities, including a penalty stroke in the fourth quarter when Deepika's shot hit the post. Despite a promising start, where they secured an early penalty corner, the Indian team couldn't capitalize. China, displaying their prowess, took the lead in the 21st minute through a penalty corner converted by Chen Yang. Zhang Ying added another goal just five minutes later, increasing China's advantage to 2-0 by halftime. Anhui Yu's field goal further solidified China's win.
With this defeat, India remains at the bottom of the nine-team standings with 10 points from 15 games. They have suffered ten losses and managed only two wins throughout the campaign. Their last victory was in February against the Netherlands. Even if India wins their final match against China, they cannot escape relegation.
The loss against China marked India's seventh consecutive defeat in the European leg of the FIH Pro League. In another match, England's 1-0 victory over Germany placed Germany one spot above India with 13 points. For India to avoid relegation, they needed favorable outcomes from other matches, particularly the one between Germany and England. However, England's win dashed those hopes.
Relegation from the FIH Pro League means India will be demoted to the second-tier FIH Nations Cup for the 2025-26 season. The Pro League provides crucial experience with consistent matches against top-ranked teams. The Nations Cup, a week-long tournament with fewer matches, offers less exposure.
The Indian team's struggles in penalty corner defense have been a significant factor in their poor performance. In their previous match against Belgium, they conceded four goals from penalty corners. Even in games where they performed well, such as their 2-2 draw against Argentina, both goals against them came from penalty corners. This vulnerability was evident in the match against China as well.
