Sports Bulletin Report
Lausanne (Switzerland): The Women’s Indoor Asia Cup 2024 came to an end with Thailand claiming the title following a stunning 6-2 victory over Kazakhstan, and securing their spot at the upcoming FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup 2025, which will be played in Poreč, Croatia from 3-9 February 2025.
As many as 9 teams competed in the Women’s Indoor Asia Cup 2024, in Chonburi, Thailand from 13-16 May 2024. Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Iran, Oman and Vietnam were placed in Pool A, while Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and Singapore were placed in Pool B.
Kazakhstan, 6 time winners of the competition were dominant in the Pool A, winning all their matches, with Malaysia finishing in second place and also qualifying for the semi-finals. In Pool B, winners of the previous edition of the competition, Thailand topped the table with a run of 3 straight victories, with Indonesia finishing second in the pool and qualifying for the semi-finals.
In the first semi-final, Kazakhstan faced a stiff challenge from Indonesia, with the game tied at 3-goals apiece at the end of regulation time. But the Kazakhstan’s championship pedigree came in handy as they edged past their opponents in the shoot-outs to move on to the final. They were joined in the final by defending champions Thailand, who overcame a tough test from Malaysia, winning the second semi-final by a 2-1 margin.
With just one spot available at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup 2025, the final was a battle not just for the title and the gold medal, but also a winner-takes-all contest for a spot at the World Cup next year. While most fans anticipated a closely fought affair between the two top teams in the competition, the final unfolded very differently. Thailand were dominant in attack and watertight in defence, securing a huge 6-2 win to claim their second consecutive title at the Women’s Indoor Asia Cup and qualifying for their first ever FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup!
Coach of the title winning Thailand team, Esfandyar Safaei, spoke with us after the tournament and said, “Really happy with this victory and upon qualifying for our first ever FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup. This is a busy year with the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in November, which we will use to prepare for the Indoor World Cup in Croatia in February 2025 and hopefully get the best result any Asian team has achieved in the competition.”
