Indian hockey teams win Olympic test events
TOKYO: The Indian men and women’s hockey team won the Olympic test event here on Wednesday.
The men’s team crushed New Zealand 5-0 in the title clash to avenge their loss in round robin clash.
The women’s team showed grit in edging past Japan 2-1 in the final with Navjot Kaur and Lalremsiami hitting home.
For the men’s side captain Harmanpreet Singh (7th min) set the ball rolling before Shamsher Singh (18th min), Nilakanta Sharma (22nd min), Gursahibjit Singh (26th min) and Mandeep Singh (27th min) scored for India at the Oi Hockey Stadium here.
India had lost 1-2 to New Zealand earlier in round robin league-stage.
“We played very well. We managed to score from our opportunities at the start of the game,” Harmanpreet said after the triumph.
“I think the final was always going to be tough, we lost to New Zealand earlier. But we had been having practice sessions after that and worked on our mistakes,” he added.
Both teams began on a cautious note by turning over the ball in the mid-field. India won a penalty corner in the seventh minute, but couldn’t capitalise on the opportunity.
However, skipper Harmanpreet didn’t miss out on a re-awarded penalty corner. He executed a perfect dragflick to put India in the lead.
The Indian team continued to hold possession and put tremendous pressure on the New Zealand defense as they ended the first quarter at 1-0.
Shamsher scored India’s second goal through a penalty corner in the 18th minute.
New Zealand managed to make only two circle entries in the second quarter as the Indian team scored three more goals.
Nilakanta found the back of the net in the 22nd minute before Gursahibjit and Mandeep scored in quick succession.
Vivek Prasad intercepted the ball brilliantly to assist a goal for Gursahibjit and Mandeep converted a penalty corner just before the half-time whistle.
After an action-packed first half, the intensity dropped from both sides. New Zealand tried to make a few inroads in the third quarter as they took a shot in the 37th minute which went wide of the post.
Jarmanpreet Singh saved a penalty corner in the next minute as India and New Zealand played out a goalless quarter but the former held the lead at 5-0.
In the last quarter, India ensured they stayed in the lead and didn’t allow New Zealand to break through their defense throughout the match.
India’s attacking approach in the match paid off as they walked off the pitch as winners of the competition.
NAVJOT, LALREMSIAMI STAR FOR INDIA
TOKYO: Navjot Kaur and Lalremsiami led India to a 2-1 win over Japan in the final of Olympic test event here.
Navjot (11th min) opened the scoring to put India ahead but the lead was neutralised within a minute as Minami Shimizu (12’) scored for the hosts.
Lalremsiami (33’) struck the winning goal for India.
India dominated the first 10 minutes, and finally managed to find the breakthrough when Forward Navjot kept her nerves under pressure and produced a fine finish in front of the goal.
However, the next minute saw Japan strike back immediately with a well-crafted field goal from Shimizu to make it 1-1.
The second quarter saw both the teams focus on their defensive structure and tread carefully.
India had a few chances, with the likes of Vandana Katariya and Navjot combining well on the attacking front, but could not produce a goal-scoring opportunity. Japan also tried to create some opportunities of their own, with goalscorer Shimizu coming close to scoring her second of the match, but India defended well.
It was an aggressive start from the Indian team after the halftime break as they won themselves a penalty corner in the 33rd minute. Gurjit Kaur stepped up to take the execution, but her shot was saved, however, Lalremsiami score off the rebound.