FIH Pro League: Netherlands’ second-string side outclass India before winning in shootout

Bhubaneswar, April 9

The Indian women’s hockey team dished out a below-par performance to suffer a 1-3 loss in the penalty-corner shootout to Olympics champions the Netherlands’ second-string side in their FIH Pro League match here today. The two teams were locked 1-1 in regulation time in the second match of the Pro League tie.

Rajwinder Kaur scored in the first minute and the Dutch side, playing here without any player who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics last year, equalised in the 53rd through captain Jansen Yibbi to take the match into the shootout.

Jansen was the most experienced player of the Dutch side with 24 caps before Saturday’s match. Only four other Dutch players had played more than 10 international matches.

Captain and goalkeeper Savita Punia was the most experienced Indian with 223 caps.

India, without three key players — Lalremsiami, Salima Tete and Sharmila Devi — had won the first match 2-1 on Friday. That win was the first against the Netherlands in over a decade.

India collected one point from today’s match to remain on second spot in the standings, while the Netherlands retained their top position.

The Dutch have 19 points from eight matches while India have 16 points from same number of matches.

Only Navneet Kaur scored for India in the shootout while Rajwinder, Neha and Jyoti missed the target.

For the Dutch side, Barentsen Marente, Fortuin Kyra and Jansen sounded the board, while Morgenstern Fiona missed the target in the shootout.

India will now travel to Belgium for their next matches on June 11 and 12. — PTI

Girls’ door to history guarded by the Dutch

Potchefstroom: History beckons the Indian women’s hockey team as they eye a maiden final berth in the FIH Women’s Junior World Cup, but in the form of three-time champions the Netherlands, a stern test awaits them in the semifinals tomorrow. India’s best performance in the tournament so far is a bronze won in the 2013 edition of the event in Monchengladbach, Germany. Unbeaten so far, the Indians have exceeded expectations in the event, beating Wales 5-1, upsetting Germany 2-1, thrashing Malaysia 4-0 and South Korea 3-0. It has been a cohesive effort from them, with all departments clicking for the Salima Tete-led side. “We came into this tournament with great determination to win every match we play. As a team, we know we will be able to achieve results if we focus on ourselves, execute the plans we have for our opponents,” Tete said. “For tomorrow’s match too, we will be more focused on what we can do as a team.”