Spirited fightback sees India Junior women hold Chile and maintain their unbeaten run

India junior women's hockey team produced a spirited comeback to hold Chile senior team 2-2 in a friendly match at the Prince of Wales Country Club, Chile, on Friday.

The result also meant that India Juniors are still unbeaten in their Chile tour, having won all three games prior to this match.

The hosts managed to get ahead twice in the match but India fought back each time and drew level.

Deepika Kumari (40') and Gagandeep Kaur (55') led India's fightback after Chile had twice taken the lead through goals from Mariana del Jesus Lagos (21') and Fernanda Villagran (51').

Having been beaten by the Indian juniors 3-2 in the previous match, Chile went out on the attack early on with the Indian goalkeeper was called into action at least four times in the opening quarter.

India had their backs pinned on the wall and were relying on sporadic counter-attacks to venture into the attacking third.

Chile was awarded a couple of penalty corners in the opening stages of the second quarter but they could not make it count.

However, they managed to get their noses in front right before half-time after intercepting a 16-yard pass. Mariana converted the chance with precision.

India had to come up with a response and they did not disappoint. They started the second half on the front foot and kept knocking on Chile's doors.

Their efforts yielded result when Gagandeep Kaur ran down the left flank and her attempt was deflected into the net by Deepika Kumari to get back on level terms..

India could have added to their tally, only if they had converted the penalty corner earned in the final minutes of the third quarter.

The match reached its crescendo in the last quarter as Chile converted a penalty stroke to once again restore their lead.

This forced the Indians to break their defensive shackles and throw everything at the opposition. They started pouring more bodies in the attacking third and kept raiding Chile's fort.

Although they missed a penalty corner, the girls in white churned out a penalty stroke from a long corner, which was successfully dispatched by Gagandeep Kaur to ensure the game finished level.

They will face each other again on January 23 and 24 for the last two matches of this trip.