Indian Women ended their home leg of the 5th FIH Hockey Pro League 2023-24 with a 2-1 shoot-out win over United States of America at Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela today. The hard-fought match was decided in shootout after play in the regulation time ended in a 1-1 draw. India secured two points from this match, while USA gained one point.
Indian women are now placed fifth in the league table with eight points from eight matches. They have won two games outright, one in a shootout and lost five. Indian women will now travel to Belgium to play their next four matches in Antwerp from May 22 to 26.
Earlier, India started their campaign with a hat-trick of defeats, losing to China 1-2, Netherlands 1-3 and Australia 0-3 in the first leg at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. The host country made a mini recovery by beating the United States 3-1 in their fourth and last game in Bhubaneswar.
The second leg of the tournament in Rourkela was no different for the Indian women, who made a forgettable debut at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium by losing to China 1-2. They suffered their fifth defeat, going down fighting to three-time champions Netherlands 0-1 and then bounced back to beat Australia 1-0.
Two players from Odisha are representing the 24-member Indian women team in the Pro League. They are: defender Jyoti Chhatri and midfielder Sunelita Toppo.
INDIAN WOMEN HOCKEY TEAM: Goalkeepers: Savita Punia (Captain), Bichu Devi Kharibam. Defenders: Gurjit Kaur, Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Monika, Jyoti Chhatri. Midfielders: Nisha, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Neha, Navneet Kaur, Salima Tete, Sonika, Jyoti, Baljeet Kaur, Sunelita Toppo. Forwards: Mumtaz Khan, Beauty Dungdung, Lalremsiami, Sangita Kumari, Deepika, Vandana Katariya (Vice-Captain), Sharmila Devi. Chief Coach: Janneke Schopman.
INDIA RESULTS:
3 February 2024 (At Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar): India (Vandana Katariya 15-FG) lost to China (Dan Wen 40-FG, Gu Bingfeng 52-PC) 1-2. POTM: Dan Wen.
4 February 2024 (At Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar): India (Navneet Kaur 9-FG) lost to Netherlands (Yibbi Jansen 3-PC, 34-PC, Fay van der Elst 20-FG) 1-3. POTM: Laura Nunnink (Netherlands).
7 February 2024 (At Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar): India lost to Australia (Grace Stewart 19-FG, Tatum Stewart 23-PC, Kaitlin Nobbs 55-FG) 0-3. POTM: Tatum Stewart.
9 February 2024 (At Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar): India (Vandana Katariya 9-FG, Deepika 26-FG, Salima Tete 56-FG) beat United States (Sanne Caarls 42-FG) 3-1. POTM: Deepika.
12 February 2024 (At Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Rourkela): India (Sangita Kumari 7-FG) lost to China (Gu Bingfeng 14-PC, 53-PS) 1-2. POTM: Gu Bingfeng.
14 February 2024 (At Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Rourkela): India lost to Netherlands (Felice Albers 27-FG) 0-1. POTM: Felice Albers.
17 February 2024 (At Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Rourkela): India (Vandana Katariya 34-PC) beat Australia 1-0. POTM: Navneet Kaur.
18 February 2024 (At Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Rourkela): India (Deepika 19-PC) drew with United States (Ashley Sessa 45-PC) 1-0. Shootout: India (Sonika, Mumtaz Khan) beat United States (Leah Crouse) 2-1. PoTM: Mumtaz Khan.
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PHOTO: Vandana Katariya (Left) celebrates with a teammate after scoring the first goal for India in their Hockey Pro League match against United States at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar on 9 February 2024.