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The Indian hockey crew gained the Women’s FIH Nations Cup 2022 final on Saturday with a 1-0 victory over Spain, securing their spot in the 2023-24 FIH Pro League.
Promotion to the Women’s Pro League hockey for the subsequent season was up for grabs for the winner of the Women’s FIH Nations Cup, which had simply concluded its inaugural season.
In the opening quarter, Gurjit Kaur (5′) scored the lone purpose which ultimately turned out to be a game-winning purpose.
Spain performed properly in the primary minutes of the sport and practically took the lead, however India captain Savita Punia, the shootout star in opposition to Ireland in the semifinals, made a rapid save along with her toes to cease the Spanish effort from a penalty nook as per the Olympics web site.
India gained its first penalty nook of the match on the five-minute mark. Head coach Janneke Schopman has been involved about India’s dismal penalty nook conversion charge all through the event, however Gurjit Kaur got here via with a exact drive to give India the lead.
Following the primary purpose, India, the eighth-ranked hockey crew in the world, and Spain, who’ve each maintained excellent defensive information in the competitors, stored issues tight on the again.
Prior to the halftime horn, solely two respectable purpose possibilities got here from penalty corners. At full stretch, Spain’s Clara Perez was in a position to cease Gurjit from scoring once more, whereas Savita made one other excellent save along with her toes to preserve out an effort from Lucia Jimenez.
India had a 1-0 lead going into the second half, and each groups stepped up their offensive effort. Clara Perez as soon as extra stepped in to save a purpose and preserve her crew in the reckoning as India got here close to to doubling their lead via a penalty nook.
As the sport progressed, Spain began to pose risk to the Indian defence. Lucia Jimenez lastly defeated Savita after receiving a free hit with 5 minutes remaining in the third quarter. But following a overview by the Indian crew, the purpose was dominated out for a foul dedicated through the buildup.
With a 1-0 deficit into the fourth quarter, the host crew as soon as extra had the ball in the Indian purpose following a goalmouth scramble, however the on-field referee disallowed it this time due to a foul. Spain ran out of critiques to assist their request.
The Indian squad wanted some determined defence in addition to some luck to retain their slim lead because the host crew stored up the strain in pursuit of a game-tying purpose.
India survived a late Spanish storm to retain the victory, the championship, and a promotion to the Women’s FIH Pro League the subsequent yr.
(Only the headline and movie of this report could have been reworked by the Business Standard employees; the remainder of the content material is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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