Moqi, China: Defending champions India marched into the AHF Junior Asia Cup 2026 semi-finals after crushing Chinese Taipei 15-0 in their last Pool A match in Moqi, China, on Wednesday.
Captain Anmol Ekka led the charge with a six-goal haul, all from penalty corners, as India turned a tight opening into a complete rout.
India dominated possession early but found few gaps in a disciplined Taipei defence, ending the first quarter without a goal. Coach Frederic Soyez made the most of the two-minute quarter-time break, using it to reset India’s tempo and demand sharper, more direct play.
The message had an immediate impact: Aryan Xess broke the deadlock in the 17th minute, Prabhdeep Singh doubled the lead a minute later, and Gursewak Singh made it 3-0 in the 22nd minute. Ekka converted the first penalty corner in the 25th, Arjun Santosh Hargude added another in the 28th, and Ekka struck again before halftime to give India a 6-0 advantage at the break.
Six From Anmol, 15 For India
The third quarter saw India maintain their grip. Two early penalty corners were both converted by Ekka, taking him to a hat-trick and then four goals. Ajeet Yadav chipped in with a tidy finish in the 35th minute, and Ekka’s fifth penalty corner in the 45th minute pushed the score to 10-0.
There was no let-up in the last 15 minutes. Harpal scored a field goal in the 48th minute, Ekka completed his sixth penalty corner in the 51st, and Harpal added his second soon after. Aryan Xess rounded off scoring two more goals as India finished 15-0 winners.
Pool Toppers, Eyes On Title
The win ensured India ended the pool stage as top seed, finishing with 10 points from three wins and a draw. South Korea took the other semi-final place from Pool A after a 3-2 victory over Japan, while Japan, Indonesia and Chinese Taipei dropped to the classification rounds. With momentum on their side, India now turn their attention to the knockout stage and a push for back-to-back Junior Asia Cup titles.
