The Indian girls’s hockey group, which completed fourth on the Tokyo Olympics, won’t characteristic within the 2024 Games after struggling a 1-0 loss to Japan within the third-place match of the FIH Qualifiers on Friday. Japan’s Karan Urata scored within the sixth minute they usually managed to maintain India out for the remainder of the match to e book a spot for themselves on the Paris Olympics later this yr. This would be the first time since 2012 that the Indian girls’s hockey group will not characteristic in an version of the Summer Olympics.
The prime three sides from this match certified for the Paris Olympics.(Hockey India)
Japan thus end third within the qualifiers in Ranchi, Jharkhand. Germany and USA, who will play the ultimate later this night, are the opposite two sides to have booked their spots. India have performed simply thrice within the Olympics since girls’s hockey as included at Moscow 1980. After ending fourth version, India subsequent certified for the Games solely at Rio 2016. They completed twelfth on the time after which certified for the Tokyo Games, the place their spirited present helped them get inside touching distance of a first-ever Olympic medal.
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Japan had been the early aggressors and India keeper and captain Savita Punia handled the primary scoring probability they created by dashing out and kicking away the free ball within the second minute. However, Japan had been relentless and India had been having to continuously play catch-up. The stress lastly gave with Urata changing a relatively mushy penalty nook that India conceded two minutes later.
The Indian backline was put beneath super stress by the Japanese with some defence-splitting harmful crosses however the hosts by some means managed to carry on. In the twelfth minute, India had their first actual probability. Monika created the chance with a superb cross from the best flank however Lalremsiami’s deflection went over the bar.
Predictability prices India
India’s assaults had been largely by the best flank, as had been the case all through the match. It meant that Japan had been in a position to predict their actions and smothered each wave of assault that they managed all through the match. India had been additionally pressured to stray away from their most popular attacking type on account of Japan’s relentless stress for a lot of the primary half.
They, nonetheless, received some momentum within the second quarter, securing two penalty corners in fast succession. First, Lalremsiami created the chance with a superb 3D abilities, however Deepika’s effort was saved by Japan goalkeeper Eika Nakamura. Seconds later, India earned one other set piece however as soon as once more Deepika didn’t breach the Japanese defence.
The Indian gamers did not present any intent to win 50-50 balls. They additionally appeared to have run out of concepts, and largely tried to hit the ball from the 30 yard circle as an alternative of choosing crisp, brief passes, which is their power. Trailing 0-1, the Indians got here out attacking after the change of ends and made a couple of good strikes, however objectives eluded them.
Six minute into the third quarter, India secured one other penalty nook however Deepika didn’t get previous Nakamura in entrance of Japan objective. Minutes later, Japan managed to get a set piece however the Indians defended nicely to remain within the hunt.
Chances got here thick and quick for India within the type of penalty corners as they secured back-to-back set items within the forty third minute however Udita Duhan failed to interrupt the Japanese defence together with her slap shot.
Japan had been put beneath super stress by the Indians within the third quarter with repeated forays. The residence group’s ways labored because it secured one other penalty nook seconds from the ultimate break, however as soon as once more, the shortage of execution did them in.
It was full domination from the Indians after the change of ends however that didn’t translate into objectives. India earned as many as 9 penalty corners in your complete 60 minutes however their perennial drawback of conversion continued.
In the final 11 minutes of the sport, India secured three penalty corners however Deepika and Udita’s poor document continued. A minute and a half from the ultimate hooter, an unmarked Salima Tete received the perfect probability for India to equalise however, with solely the goalkeeper to beat, she shot broad.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
