Bhubaneswar, A assured India started their marketing campaign within the Girls’s Professional League with a 3-2 win in opposition to higher-ranked England on the Kalinga Hockey Stadium right here on Saturday.
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Two of India’s targets got here from penalty corners with Vaishnavi Phalke scoring the opener within the sixth minute and Deepika smashing the winner within the twenty fifth, whereas Navneet Kaur smashed the profitable purpose with only one minute left within the recreation.
For England, Darcy Bourne took benefit of an enormous defensive lapse to fit residence the primary equaliser within the twelfth minute after which Fiona Crackles levelled issues once more earlier than Navneet slotted residence the winner a minute later.
Vaishnavi opened the account from India, ranked ninth within the FIH, after a firmly-struck shot from Manisha Chauhan off the primary penalty nook hit a defender’s stick and got here again into play.
Vaishnavi was completely positioned to decisively hit the ball into the web.
India regarded assured and confirmed the intent to ruffle the seventh-ranked England with tempo and quick passes.
They got here near doubling the lead within the ninth minute however veteran ahead Lalremsiami failed to attach her stick to an extended, diagonal cross.
Nonetheless, fairly in opposition to the run of play, England struck when a sloppy clearance by defender Ishika Chaudhary noticed Darcy simply push the ball straight into the purpose from near deliver the equaliser.
A minute later, goalkeeper Savita Punia bravely saved a firmly-hit reverse flick from crashing into the web with simply two minutes within the first quarter, leaving India coach Harendra Singh in a sport of trouble.
A pep-talk from the previous India participant on the break, noticed India settle right into a rhythm and enter the turf with extra objective as Deepika transformed the hosts’ second penalty nook with a rasping shot to provide her group the lead once more.
The third quarter was a sedate affair with the play principally confined to the midfield, however England confirmed great enchancment within the final quarter-hour, incomes three fast penalty corners to rattle the Indian defence.
However wayward taking pictures noticed the 2022 Commonwealth Video games champions ending up on the shedding facet.
Fiona made it 2-2 with simply two minutes remaining on the clock as the sport headed in the direction of a draw however Navneet got here up with a purpose on the counter-attack to steer India to victory.