HYDERABAD, March 11: India set up a semifinal clash against Italy at the FIH Women’s World Cup qualifiers in Hyderabad, after a 3-1 win over Wales ensured that they topped Pool B ahead of Scotland, who beat Uruguay earlier in the day.
Navneet Kaur scored a hat-trick for India, after a superb opening goal from Sakshi Rana put India on their way in the first quarter.
In this game against Wales, India were dominant for 35 minutes, but yet again, they couldn’t put together a full 60-minute performance.
Before the match, Sjoerd Marijne spoke of his team needing ot improve in converting their chances, but once again, India didn’t quite do that.
However, they did enough, and that was down to the talismanic Navneet.
However, it was Rana who sent India on their way.
She received a pass on the right side of the circle, and then swiveled onto her left before a low reverse hit that gave Amy Hughes no chance in the Welsh goal.
From then on, it was the Navneet show. She scored once each off penalty corners in the second and third quarters.
In both cases, she took a slap hit towards the goalkeeper’s right. In the first instance, the ball hit the Welsh goalkeeper’s pad and trickled into the goal.
In the second instance, the goalkeeper had no chance of stopping a fierce strike that thudded into the bottom right corner.
Wales scored midway through the third quarter, as Betsan Thomas dispossessed Udita inside the Indian defensive circle and then placed a superb dink past Bichu Devi in the Indian goal.
Wales had another chance to cut India’s lead down to one and make it a nervy final quarter, but their captain Elizabeth Bingham missed a golden chance from a penalty stroke.
A few minutes after that, Navneet put the exclamation point on the win, converting a penalty stroke of her own, to complete her hat-trick. India will now face Italy in the semifinal on Friday evening.
ITALY 1-1 KOREA
Italy and Korea played out a 1–1 draw in their Pool A encounter in Hyderabad.
Federica Carta (7’) gave Italy the early lead, while Jiyun Choi (26’) equalised for Korea.
England secured their third consecutive victory in a Pool A match at the G. M. C. Balayogi Hockey Ground (Gachibowli Hockey Complex) on Wednesday afternoon.
Grace Balsdon (20’) and Holly Hunt (48’) were the goal scorers for England.
Later in the day, Uruguay will take on Scotland, before India meet Wales in the final match of the day. (Agencies)
