~ Salima Tete, Navneet Kaur, Vandana Katariya, and Neha were the goalscorers for India ~
SANJAY PANDEY, Ranchi: The Indian Women’s Hockey Team continued their unbeaten run at the Jharkhand Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023 by securing a commanding 5-0 win against Korea in their last Pool match on Thursday. Salima Tete (6’, 36’), Navneet Kaur (36’), Vandana Katariya (49’), and Neha (60’) netted goals for India.
With this triumph, the Indian squad claimed the top spot in the points table, amassing 15 points from five matches. Meanwhile, Korea, having garnered seven points from five games, concluded their group stage campaign in fourth place. As per the standings, both teams are set to clash once more in the Semi-Finals.
Similar to their previous matches, India initiated the game with an aggressive high-pressing strategy and relentless attacking, yielding early dividends. In the opening moments of the match Salima Tete (6′) left unmarked within the circle, beautifully slotted a goal, granting the hosts an early advantage.
With the scoreline in their favour, India sustained the offensive onslaught against Korea with frequent circle penetrations. Although they came close to notching a second goal on several occasions, they failed to capitalize on those opportunities. As the opening quarter concluded, India maintained a 1-0 lead.
The second quarter mirrored the first, with India dominating possession and orchestrating swift passes to keep Korea on the defensive. India even managed to secure two penalty corners during this period, but couldn’t capitalize on them. Despite their continued efforts and numerous opportunities, the Indian Team was unable to increase their lead, and they headed into halftime with a 1-0 advantage.
Determined to make a comeback in the game, Korea launched an aggressive offensive assault in the third quarter and even approached the goal with potential equalizing opportunities on a couple of occasions. Nevertheless, India swiftly turned the tables by counter-attacking, reasserting their dominance. Their persistence paid off when they won a penalty corner following which Navneet Kaur (36′) unleashed a powerful shot to find the back of the net. Just moments later, Salima Tete (36′) displayed her prowess by scoring a remarkable field goal, elevating India’s lead to 3-0, which stayed intact by the end of the penultimate quarter.
In the last quarter, India’s relentless pursuit of additional goals was evident as they continuously challenged Korea’s defensive line. Their determination bore fruits as Vandana Katariya (49′) executed a splendid flick, further extending India’s lead to 4-0. Adding to the emphatic victory, Neha (60′) secured a field goal in the closing moments of the match, sealing a resounding 5-0 triumph for the Indian team.
India will take on Korea in the second Semi-Final of the tournament on 4th November.
