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The Indian women's hockey team, which was assured of a semifinal spot ahead of their last Asian Games pool game, beat Hong Kong 13-0 to top Pool A on Tuesday, October 3.
Vandana Katariya and Sangita Kumari scored hattricks from open play while Deep Grace Ekka and Deepika also manufactured three goals each, as the Indian defense remained largely untested.
Meanwhile, Japan finds itself on top of the heap in Pool B, with the Indians most likely to face China in the Asian Games semifinals. In Pool B, second-placed China and Thailand will face each other later on Tuesday with six points each, but the Chinese have a vastly superior goal difference (+29) as compared to Thailand (-7).
For the Indians, it was Deepika who began the scoring off an assist from Vandana Katariya in the fourth minute while Monika helped Sangita Kumari find the back of the net against Hong Kong.
Ahead by two goals in less than five minutes, coach Janneke Schopman's chargers added a third in the seventh minute as Sangita Kumari's assist was scored off by Monika.
Ekka got into the act in the 10th minute, beating goalkeeper Hong Carmen with a powerful drag flick, with the rampaging Indians leading 4-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Katariya scored India's fifth goal at the beginning of the second quarter before Sangita scored another in the 27th minute, thanks to an opportunistic pass from Monika.
Ekka was back in business after a long break as she converted a PC in the 34th minute before going on to add a third in the 42nd, beating goalkeeper Carmen all ends up.
Vandana scored off a tomahawk from a narrow angle in the 48th minute before Deepika sent in a scorching drag flick in the 54th minute.
Hong Kong's woes continued as Sangita scored her seventh goal of the tournament in the 55th minute. Deepika struck the post with a short corner attempt before sending the follow-up PC past the Hong Kong goalkeeper.
India's young talent comes to the fore in Hangzhou Asian Games
Coach Janneke Schopman's belief in the plethora of young talent available in the squad has paid off thus far at the Asian Games competition.
The Indians who remained unbeaten throughout the pool stages were tested by South Korea but still managed to come away with a 1-1 draw against their continental rivals.
In the absence of stalwarts like Rani Rampal and Gurjit Kaur, youngsters like Sangita Kumari, Vaishnavi Phalke, Salima Tete, and Deepika have surprised the opposition at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Sangita has been prolific, having scored seven goals thus far in the competition while also delivering some vital assists to her senior teammates.
Vaishnavi Phalke's clean PC injections have enabled the PC specialists to execute the drag flicks with precision while her forays in the attacking third have consistently led to goals.
Salima Tete's sheer speed up front has undone the defense of every single team that the Indians have faced thus far, including the South Koreans who seemed hassled every time she had the ball in the danger zone.
Deepika has managed to score from open play, as well as add to India's PC battery alongside the more experienced Deep Grace Ekka and Navneet Kaur.
How the young brigade performs in the Asian Games semifinals will be vital to India's fortunes in the knockouts in Hangzhou.
