Indian Womens Hockey Team failed to secure a ticket for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as they lost to Japan 0-1 in the bronze-medal match of the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand today.

Kana Urata scored the all-important goal in the sixth minute to help Japan book their berth for the ensuing Olympic Games. In order to qualify for the Paris Olympics, India needed to be among the top three finishers in the Ranchi qualifying tournament.

Led by goalkeeper Savita Punia, host India came closer to accomplishing their goal by reaching semifinals. But back-to-back defeats in the semifinals and the bronze-medal match ruined their dreams. India settled for the fourth position, while Germany bagged the gold, defeating United States 2-0 in the final. Germany, USA and Japan qualified for the Paris Olympics.

India qualified for the semifinals, finishing second in Pool B with six points from three matches, which featured two wins and one loss. After starting the campaign with a 0-1 loss to the USA, India bounced back to beat New Zealand 3-1 and Italy 5-1 in their next two games.

India suffered a heart-break in the semifinals as they went down fighting to Germany 3-4 in sudden-death of the shootout after the exciting clash ended 2-2 in regulation time. For the first time in more than two decades, the Indian womens team did not feature any player from Odisha.

INDIA RESULTS:

13 January 2024: United States (Abigail Tamer 16-FG) beat India 1-0.

14 January 2024: India (Sangita Kumari 1-FG, Udita 12-PC, Beauty Dung Dung 14-FG) beat New Zealand (Megan Hull 9-PC) 3-1.

16 January 2024: India (Udita 1-PC, 55-PC, Deepika 41-PS, Salima Tete 45-FG, Navneet Kaur 53-FG) beat Italy (Camila Machin 60-PC) 5-1. PoM: Udita

18 January 2024 (Semifinals): India (Deepika 15-PC, Ishika Chaudhary 59-PC) lost to Germany (Charlotte Stapenhorst 27-FG, 57-FG) 5-6 via shootout (Regulation time 2-2). Shootout: India (Sonika, Sangita Kumari, Lalremsiami) lost to Germany (Sonja Zimmermann, Lisa Nolte, Lisa Nolte, Nike Lorenz) 3-4. PoM: Lisa Nolte.

19 January 2024: India lost to Japan (Kana Urata 6-PC) 0-1.
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PHOTO: India defender Udita poses with the Player of the Match award after scoring a brace in her 100th international game at the Olympic Qualifier against Italy in Ranchi on 16 January 2024.