India keep their Paris dream alive

Janneke Schopman’s message to her players for Sunday’s match was crisp: "Just do yourself a favour and show up today.” Show up India did, to ensure that they stay alive in the quest for a 2024 Paris Olympics berth despite the no show on Saturday. Less than 24 hours after a timid defeat to USA in their opening game of the FIH Women’s Hockey Olympic Qualifiers here, India came up with a terrific performance to beat New Zealand 3 1(PTI) Less than 24 hours after a timid defeat to USA in their opening game of the FIH Women’s Hockey Olympic Qualifiers here, India came up with a terrific performance to beat New Zealand 3 1 at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium on Sunday.

Amazon Sale season is here! Splurge and save now! Click here It was as if Simdega, Jharkhand's cradle of hockey, came alive in Ranchi. Right from the moment Salima Tete went on a rousing run from the right flank to feed Sangita Kumari's goal within the first minute, up until Beauty Dungdung did the same from the left flank for India's third goal in the 14th minute.

And then there was birthday girl Udita adding the cherry on the cake with a penalty corner (PC) conversion in the 12th minute of the action packed first quarter that saw all the four goals. It was also as if a switch had been turned on for this Indian team on Sunday after their off colour show a day ago, bringing in, as Schopman termed it, “a complete team effort”.

The attacks had more purpose behind them; the defence was compact; the discipline was near impeccable (India had zero cards). The coach would’ve liked a goal or two more though, she said. The result, for now, was enough to bring India level with New Zealand on three points with a win and a loss each in Pool B, and also on goal difference (1).

With New Zealand facing table toppers USA, India will fancy their chances against Italy (they have lost both their matches) in their final pool game on Tuesday to sneak through the semi finals. That appeared rather far off after the USA match. But after two team meetings — on Saturday night and Sunday morning — the players turned up adhering to a simple plea from the coach: “let’s just play hockey today”.

“I don’t know who has said this, but if there’s a crack, there’s a reason. That’s because the light can come in,” Schopman said after the win. “The biggest message was that we need to connect as a team and need to play together.” Unlike India's match on the opening night when firecrackers went off for a good couple of minutes before the starting whistle, the setting was a bit muted on Sunday.

The sparks though were provided on the field by the Indian players in no time. From the first circle entry in the first minute came the first goal. Salima made a brilliant run from the right to feed the ball to Jyoti, who got a touch before Sangita pounced onto it to deflect it in. The sizzling start was in stark contrast to the stuttering one the previous night, and it set the tone for the hosts.

New Zealand though quickly got into the contest. After giving away a PC in the third minute, India conceded another in the ninth minute. Megan Hull collected it, took the ball slightly to her right and drilled it in past India goalkeeper Savita Punia to level things up for New Zealand. But a different India had turned up on the day, one that also made its dragflicks count.

And so Udita, who stepped up to take the PC in the 12th minute after young Deepika missed a PC five minutes earlier, smashed the ball low to the right corner past German goalkeeper Grace O’Hanlon. India were bossing the quarter, pressing hard and keeping the pressure in the Kiwi half. Dungdung stepped up Salima like, this time from the left flank.

She dodged past a few Black Sticks players, drifted in from the left and after the ball hit a New Zealand stick, deflected into the goal. Three one up by the 14th minute, India held on to that scoreline — defending a few New Zealand PCs while missing some chances of their own — and to their hopes of qualifying for Paris.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Share this article Share Via Copy Link Olympics.