The Indian women’s hockey team on Saturday defeated Olympic silver medallist China by 3-0 in Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament Bihar’s Rajgir.
With this stunning victory, the Indian Women’s Hockey team has reached the semifinals of the women’s Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament.
For India, Sangita Kumari scored the first goal in the 32nd minute and skipper Salima Tete slammed a second goal in the 37th minute. In the second half, the tournament’s highest scorer, Deepika, converted a penalty corner in the final minute of the match.
This was a win against world no. 6 China by world no. 9 India, which is India’s fourth consecutive win in the tournament. This win helped India climb to the top of the standings with eight points from four games.
However, China have dropped to the second place with six points from four matches.
On Sunday, India will square off their round robin campaign against Japan
The top four teams from the six-team continental tournament will qualify for the semifinals.
How did the match proceed?
India were the offensive from the beginning of the match and created most of the opportunities without any success, with the Chinese defended deep into their own territory.
In the opening minute of the game, India secured their first real chance in the form of back-to-back penalty corners but wasted both opportunities.
But later India secured their second penalty corner in the 21st minute but to no avail either.
China also secured a penalty corner in the first quarter but couldn’t score.
In the 32nd minute when Sangita deftly met with Sushila Chanu’s defence splitting pass from the midfield, it was India’s first goal.
Five minutes later, the Indians doubled their lead with another fine field goal by skipper Salima who found the target after she was neatly set up by Beauty Dung Dung and Preeti Dubey’s combined effort.
In the final minute, Sangita secured India’s fourth penalty corner with her smart stickwork and Deepika rose to the occasion flicking the ball to the right corner for her seventh goal of the tournament.
