- Saturday, November 23, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE Indian women’s hockey team created history on Monday (2) when they advanced to the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics by beating a powerful Australia 1-0 at the Oi Hockey Stadium in the Japanese capital. They will take on Argentina in the last-four game.
The Indian eves made a tremendous comeback into the tournament after losing their first three matches in the group stage. They beat Ireland and South Africa in the final two matches and were also helped by the fact that Great Britain defeated Ireland. Against Australia, who came into the game as favourites, Rani Rampal’s girls showed a brilliant defense as the Hockeyroos failed to convert any of the seven penalty corners they got.
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India got the decisive lead in the 22nd minute when Gurjit Kaur scored from a brilliant drag-flick to defeat Australian keeper Rachael Lynch. The first-time quarter-finalists then succeeded in defending the lead throughout the game, keeping the three time gold-medallists at bay.
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India goalkeeper Savita Punia played a key role in her team’s win. Skipper Rampal was also lauded for her game in the match.
Australia had conceded just one goal before this game while India conceded 14. But the Asian side preserved their best show so far in the tournament against a team which is ranked seven places above them in the world rankings.
India are playing their third Olympic hockey after 1980 and 2016. While they finished fourth in the 1980 edition, they failed to win a single game in the 2016 edition at Rio and finished 12th out of as many teams. They also lost to Australia 1-6.
Monday was a day for revenge as well.
The Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and Britain are the other four teams in the quarter-finals. Argentina avenged the defeat of their men’s team against Germany who thumped them 3-1 on Sunday (1).
