Ndia women’s hockey team oses bronze medal match
The history-making an women’s hockey team’s m of securing its maiden pic medal remained unfulas it lost 3-4 to Great Britn a hard-fought bronze playatch at the ongoing Games on Friday. The Indian en had already created hisand surpassed all expectaby entering the semifinals e Games for the first time. t the maiden Olympic al remained out of bounds orld no.4 Great Britain, who
gold-winners in the 2016 Games, came out on top in ulsating encounter. e heartbreak came a day the Indian men’s team d a 41-year-old medal ght by clinching bronze a 5-4 win over Germany. he Indians played their ts out and overcame a twodeficit to lead 3-2 at half . But a desperate Great Britave their everything in the nd half and scored two goals atch the match from India’s s. India scored three goals pan of five minutes through it Kaur (25th, 26th minutes) Vandana Katariya (29th) to Great Britain. t the Britishers found the our times through Elena r (16th), Sarah Robertson h), skipper Hollie Pearneb (35th) and Grace Baldson h) to emerge winners. dia’s best performance in lympics was a fourth place h in the 1980 Moscow es. In that edition, there no semifinals as only six
The Indians made some circle penetrations but failed to create any clear cut chances and were also guilty of losing possession at the midfield. India goalkeeper Savita Punia stood out in the first quarter, denying Great Britain on at least three occasions.
She first made a fine save from Great Britain’s first penalty corner in the second minute and then pulled off a double save in the 12th minute to keep India in the hunt. In between Great Britain also wasted another penalty corner.
Britain began the second quarter on the same pace and took the lead when Elena Rayer’s push went into the net after getexperienced Maddie Hinch, who brilliantly kept away the Indian striker’s reverse hit. India got their first penalty corner soon but wasted it. Great Britain doubled their lead in the 24th minute when Robertson scored with a powerful reverse hit from top of the circle. A minute later, India got two back-to-back penalty corners and Gurjit converted the second chance to reduce the margin.
Two minutes later, Salima Tete’s brilliant run from the left flank earned India another penalty corner and Gurjit was once bang on target to draw parity.
The momentum shifted completely in India’s favour as they tapped in an open ball inside the circle to go into half time with a 3-2 lead.
Down by a goal, Great Britain were expected to come out hard after resumption and they did exactly that forcing the pace of the game, securing a penalty corner two minutes into the third quarter but India defended well.
But a minute later, Great Britain drew level through skipper Hollie Pearne-webb. The Indians then secured two more penalty corners but couldn’t utilise them. Savita stood like a wall in front of the Indian goal and pulled off some brilliant saves to deny Great Britain.
A second from the end of