Kakamigahara Unbeaten India will face South Korea in the women’s hockey semifinal of the Asian Games 2026 on Wednesday, with the defending silver medallists standing two victories away from ending a 44-year wait for a second continental gold. India have been dominant in Pool B, winning all five matches and scoring 66 goals. However, their semifinal against South Korea at the Kawasaki Juko Stadium is expected to provide their toughest examination of the tournament so far. India opened their campaign with a 19-0 win over Uzbekistan before recording victories against Indonesia and Thailand by 17-1 and 20-1 respectively. They then overcame hosts Japan 3-1 before completing the pool stage with a 7-0 victory over Singapore. South Korea finished second in Pool A with four wins from five matches. Their only defeat came against group winners China, who secured a 3-0 victory. South Korea’s biggest win was an 8-0 result against Bangladesh. India’s attacking strength has been central to their impressive campaign. Drag-flick specialist Deepika leads the tournament scoring charts with 21 goals, while Navneet Kaur has scored 10. Rutuja Dadaso Pisal has seven, while Lalremsiami and Ishika have contributed six and five respectively. India also possess considerable experience in goal through captain Savita and Bichu Devi. South Korea, meanwhile, will look to midfielder Seungae Park, who has scored eight goals. India’s last women’s hockey gold at the Asian Games came in 1982, leaving the team chasing a historic return to the top.