The Indian Women’s Hockey team commenced their campaign in the FIH Hockey World Cup with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against China, the Paris Olympics silver medallists. The match, played at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands, saw India twice take the lead only to be pegged back by a resilient Chinese side.
The match began with India displaying considerable confidence and an attacking intent. They dominated possession and made several early forays into the Chinese D. This positive approach paid dividends in the eighth minute when Navneet Kaur, reacting swiftly to a loose ball, skillfully slotted it home from the top of the circle, giving India an early advantage. However, China, known for their tenacity, gradually began to assert themselves. Their increased tempo eventually led to a penalty stroke in the dying seconds of the first quarter, following a foul by Shilpi inside the circle. Despite an Indian review, which upheld the on-field decision, Zhang Ying calmly converted the stroke, leveling the score at 1-1 in the 15th minute.
The second quarter saw China start with renewed vigor, but India soon found their rhythm again, applying pressure on the Chinese defense. This pressure resulted in two quick penalty corners. While the first was successfully defended, India’s persistence paid off in the 25th minute. Deepika stepped up for the second penalty corner and unleashed a powerful drag-flick that deflected off a Chinese defender’s shoulder, looping over the goalkeeper and into the net. After a brief review by the umpires, the goal was confirmed, restoring India’s lead at 2-1. Despite further Chinese threats, India managed to maintain their advantage until the half-time whistle.
The third quarter, however, witnessed a shift in momentum, with China dictating play. The Olympic silver medallists emerged from the break with an aggressive posture, immediately putting India under immense pressure. Baljeet made a crucial defensive clearance, and goalkeeper Savita produced a superb save to deny a Chinese equalizer. India found themselves increasingly pushed back into their own half, struggling to launch meaningful counter-attacks. China’s relentless pressure finally yielded results in the 39th minute when Ma Ning converted their first penalty corner, bringing the score to 2-2. China continued their dominance for the remainder of the quarter, as India appeared to adopt a more defensive stance.
The pattern of Chinese dominance persisted into the fourth quarter, with India primarily defending against waves of attacks. China earned another penalty corner, a golden opportunity to take the lead, but their shot narrowly missed the target, providing India with a significant reprieve. In the final stages of the match, India mounted a strong attacking spell, pushing into the Chinese half. Lalremsiami came agonizingly close to restoring India’s lead, but she failed to connect with a ball that rolled across the face of the goal. China had one last opportunity from yet another penalty corner, but the Indian defense held firm, securing a valuable draw against a formidable opponent. This draw earns India a crucial point in Pool D, and they will now look to build on this result in their upcoming matches.
