Sports
Indian women's hockey team wins HWL Round 2
New Delhi, March 16
The Indian women's hockey
team defeated Poland 3-1 in the final to emerge Hockey World League
(HWL) Round 2 champions at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here
on Sunday.
India scored through Vandana Katariya (15th minute),
Rani Rampal (44th) and skipper Ritu Rani (59th), while Poland got their
goal from Oriana Walasek (17th).
With this win, India qualified
to the HWL Round 3. If they finish within top six in the Round 3, they
will qualify for Rio Olympic Games 2016. Poland also advanced to HWL
Round 3.
The determined India attacked from the beginning to
exert early pressure on the opponents. Just four minutes into the game,
India were awarded a penalty corner but they failed to make the most out
of it.
Two minutes later, Rani hit at the circle where Anupa
Barla was waiting for the touch but the Polish goalkeeper was quick to
avert the danger. Five minutes left in the first quarter, India had
another shot at the penalty corner but Poland goalkeeper cleared the
danger easily.
Seconds left for the first quarter to end, India
finally struck when a beautiful backhand strike from Katariya left no
chance for the Poland goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
Poland equalised
in the 17th minute as they attacked and got a penalty corner that was
converted with a variation strategy by Walasek.
With the game
tied at 1-1, both the teams tested each others defence in the third
quarter. Four minutes left for the end of the third session, Poland were
awarded a penalty corner. But Natalia Wisniewska hit the side post.
It
was the Indian eves who broke the deadlock through a field goal from
Rani, who was named Young Player of the Tournament, in the 44th minute.
Half
way into the fourth quarter, Poland got another shot at the penalty
corner and an opportunity to level the score but danger was averted by
the Indian defence.
India counter-attacked immediately and Ritu
Rani scored in the 59th minute taking the score to 3-1 and going on to
register the teams sixth consecutive win in the tournament.
Hockey
India high performance director Roelant Oltmans said: "In the first
quarter we played astounding hockey. The way Rani scored her goal was
brilliant and not everyday someone scores a goal like that.
"We
had pressure on us in the third quarter but we came back strong. The
team has a very good understanding on the field and they did a great job
today."
Poland's fantastic contribution to the tournament was
recognised in the individual awards, with team captain Marlena Rybacha
being named Player of the Tournament while Marta Kucharska was named
Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
Malaysia emerged victorious in the
battle for third place with a 3-0 victory over Thailand. Norazlin
Sumantri opened the scoring in the 11th minute before the brilliant
Fazilla Sylvester Silin, unquestionably one of the stars of the
tournament, bagged two penalty corners to put the result beyond all
doubt.
Earlier in the day, Russia ended their tournament on a
high with a comprehensive win against Kazakhstan to take fifth place
while Ghana claimed seventh with a narrow triumph over Singapore.