The Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team endured a challenging outing in Santiago, going down 1–3 to Germany in their second match of the FIH Junior Women’s World Cup 2025 at the Centro Deportivo de Hockey Césped, Estadio Nacional, on Wednesday.
India’s lone goal came from Hina Bano (58’), while Germany scored through Lena Frerichs (5’), Annika Schönhoff (52’) and Martina Reisenegger (59’).
The result leaves India with work to do in their final group fixture, but the performance itself showcased moments of promise, resilience and fight from a young lineup still finding its rhythm on the world stage.
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Germany began the match with the clarity and intensity expected from a team with strong European pedigree. From the first whistle, their press was sharp, organised and designed to force early turnovers in India’s half. That pressure told quickly. In the 5th minute, Germany earned a penalty stroke following a defensive infringement. Lena Frerichs stepped up and made no mistake, placing the ball firmly past the Indian goalkeeper to give her side a 1–0 lead.
The early concession could have unsettled India, but the team displayed composure as the quarter progressed. They slowed the game down, strung passes together and tried to build out from the back. There were brief glimpses of fluidity in midfield with quick interchanges between Manisha, Jyoti and Reet, although Germany’s structured defensive shape restricted clear scoring chances.
India settle in but miss key moments in the second quarter
The second quarter saw India shake off the early nerves and play with more confidence. Their counter-attacking approach began to trouble Germany, especially with Manisha leading the transitions. The most threatening moment for India in the first half came from her, as she drove past two defenders to carve open a golden opportunity, only for the finishing touch to fall short.
Germany, meanwhile, continued to search for spaces in the Indian circle and forced another penalty stroke near the end of the quarter. This time, Frerichs couldn’t convert, giving India a reprieve and ensuring the deficit remained 1–0 at half-time.
Despite trailing, the Indian team found encouragement from their improved structure and the increased pressure they were able to apply on the German defence.
India push back strongly in the third quarter
If the first half belonged to Germany, the early stages of the third quarter saw a renewed India step onto the field. The midfield pressed higher, the forwards closed down aggressively, and the circle entries increased. India came agonisingly close to an equaliser from a penalty corner, sending a well-worked routine just wide of the post.
The effort and intensity were clear India were growing into the game. Germany, though still sharp, were forced to play deeper and rely on long passes to break the press. The quarter ended without goals, but India had momentum heading into the final 15 minutes.
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The fourth quarter brought both urgency and opportunity. India kept pushing down the flanks, earning another penalty corner. However, Germany’s defensive unit remained tight and disciplined, denying India the breakthrough they desperately needed.
Germany then made India pay for their missed chances. In the 52nd minute, Annika Schönhoff doubled the lead, finishing from close range after a quick passage of play around the circle. The goal shifted the game firmly in Germany’s control.
India, refusing to give up, struck back in the 58th minute when Hina Bano capitalised on a penalty corner variation, redirecting the ball into the net. At 1–2, there was a flicker of hope, but it lasted barely a minute. Germany responded almost immediately, with Martina Reisenegger (59’) slotting home a third to seal the match.
Despite the defeat, India showed phases of quality that highlight the potential of this squad. Their structure improved quarter by quarter, and the ability to compete physically and tactically with a top European side will be valuable experience moving forward.
India now turn their focus to a crucial final group match against Ireland on 5 December at 17:30 IST. A strong performance will be essential to keep their knockout hopes alive.
All matches of the FIH Junior Women’s World Cup 2025 are being streamed live on JioHotstar.
