FIH Women's Hockey World Cup: India cruise past Japan to finish ninth

The Indian women’s hockey team beat Japan 3-1 in its FIH Women's Hockey World Cup 2022 9-12 classification match at the Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa in Spain on Wednesday.

Asai Yu (19’) scored the opening goal for Japan but India struck back through Navneet Kaur (29’, 44’) and Deep Grace Ekka (37’) to finish ninth.

The match got off to a scrappy start as India, currently ninth in the world hockey rankings, struggled to make use of their superior possession. Japan, placed two places below Janneke Schopman’s side in the world rankings, on their part, looked more dangerous going forward but lacked the final pass.

The action, however, amped up in the final five minutes of the opening quarter with both goalkeepers forced into making saves to keep the scoreboard undisturbed.

The deadlock, however, was broken five minutes into the second quarter as Japan struck with their first penalty corner of the match. Asai Yu’s drive took a wicked deflection and evaded Indian goalkeeper Savita Punia.

Japan could have easily gone 2-0 up seconds later but this time, captain and goalkeeper Savita Punia managed to stick out a pad to avert the danger.

India responded by going behind and mounted an offensive of their own. Japan goalkeeper Eika Nakamura and her defence, however, managed to hold on to their slender lead by the skin of the teeth.

India, though, finally breached the Japanese resistance seconds before the half-time hooter. Minutes after Vandana Katariya hit the post, Navneet Kaur finally scored her first goal of the tournament, a field goal, to draw India level.

The Indian women’s hockey team took the lead for the first time in the match with Deep Grace Ekka firing in a penalty corner in the third quarter.

It seemed like Sharmila Devi had doubled India’s lead minutes later, but the goal was disallowed after the ball was deemed to have touched her knee before crossing the line. But India ensured a two-goal cushion heading into the final quarter as Navneet finished off a lovely team move to make it 3-1.

Open chances were scarce in the fourth period as the score remained 3-1 till the final hooter.

The win helped India finish what was otherwise a disappointing Women’s Hockey World Cup campaign on a high.

India’s quarter-final hopes went up in smoke after staying winless in their first four matches of the campaign. However, a shootout victory against Canada and the win against Japan helped the Indian hockey team end the campaign on a positive note.