Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
India came from behind to outwit South Korea 3-1 in the 9th-12th classification match of the Junior Women’s Hockey World Cup here.
Ropni Kumari (23rd minute), Mumtaz Khan (44th) and Annu (46th) scored for India, while Jiyun Choi (19th) was the scorer for South Korea yesterday.
In the opening quarter, South Korea dominated possession and secured their first penalty corner but could not utilise the chance.
India, opting for counterattacks, kept South Korea’s defence busy but couldn’t convert their promising entries into the opposition D, resulting in a goalless deadlock after the first quarter.
The second quarter mirrored the intensity of the first. Choi broke the deadlock with a precise penalty corner strike, but India swiftly responded through Ropni, who equalised from another penalty corner.
Korea ramped up their aggression. Despite their fervent efforts, India’s solid defence thwarted Korea’s advances and counterattacked skillfully, keeping the pressure on their opponent’s defensive line.
In the third quarter, India dominated the proceedings by keeping possession and troubling Korea’s defence. The strategy paid dividends as Mumtaz brilliantly slotted the ball home from a penalty corner to give her team the lead. India intensified their attacks and extended their lead early in the final quarter as Annu netted a superb field goal, securing a two-goal advantage for her team
“We played with good coordination and were confident with our passing, which was precise, and the conversion was also good,” said Player of the Match Mumtaz.
The victory means that India will stand a chance to finish ninth in the tournament when they take on USA in their last match tomorrow. – PTI
33 Goals scored by the Indian junior men’s team in its five games against Canada, while conceding just three
India take on Canada in final pool fixture
Kuala Lumpur: India will have to quickly bounce back from their hammering at the hands of Spain as the former champions take on Canada in their last Pool C match of the Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup here tomorrow. After beating South Korea 4-2 in their opener, India suffered a 1-4 defeat against the European side to slip to third in the pool. Though Korea are second due to better goal-difference, India have the easier final pool fixture – Canada have lost both their previous matches. Korea will have their task cut out against an in-form Spanish team, which has scored 11 goals and conceded just one so far. In the unlikely scenario that South Korea beat Spain, India will need to register a big victory against Canada as the goal-difference could decide which two teams qualify for the quarterfinals.
