Hockey Olympic Qualifiers: India women start on an impressive note with a 5-1 win over the US
Indian women's hockey team could not asked for more. Playing for the first time at Kalinga Stadium. it started its campaign for a berth in 2020 Olympic Games with an impressive 5-1 win over the visiting US women's hockey team. India has now to draw its second game or maintain a minimum one goal lead to book a ticket to Tokyo Olympic Games.
Drag flicker Gurjit Kaur ( two goals, a penalty corner and a penalty stroke), Lilima Minz, Navneet and Devi Sharmila were scorers for India. Erin Watson converted a stroke for the US to reduce the margin the 54th minute. Skipper Rani Rampal, who dazzled with her stick work, was adjudged man of the match.
Playing before a nearly half empty Stadium, the home team started sluggishly as the Americans were more penetrating and working out good moves in the first quarter. Skipper Kathleen Sharkley was threatening in the first quarter. She almost came close to scoring the first goal of the match but was thwarted by Indian defence. Deep Ekka was outstanding while Vandhana Katariya, who was hit in the abdomen by a rising ball was another player that had the American defence on toes for most part of the game.
There were two Video referrals in the game and one went in favour of the US while other got India a penalty stroke.Against six penalty corners by India, US got four.
Interestingly, after lean second and third quarters and conceding fifth goal early in the fourth quarter, came back strongly in the last 13 minutes of the game. The Americans had Indian defence on its toes. Efforts bore fruit and the US earned a stroke after one of its forwards was blocked from striking at the goal.
However, the Indian girls, giving a much improved display of cohesive hockey managed to hold on to the 5-1 to emerge convincing victors. The battle now goes to the second and final match tomorrow.
-PTC News
