Sports

Hockey: Indian women’s team lost 2-3 to Australia in second test

Australia beat the Indian women’s hockey team 3-2 in the second Test of the three-match series to take an unassailable 2-0 lead here on Saturday. The Indian team performed better in this match than the first match of the series but failed to register a win. Sangeeta Kumari (13th) and Gurjit Kaur (17th) scored the goals for India. Tatum Stewart (12th and 45th minutes) scored two goals for Australia while Pippa Morgan (38th) also scored. Australia, ranked number three in the world, won the first match of the series 4-2 on Thursday.

The third match of the series will be played on Sunday. The Indian team, which is on this tour to prepare for this year’s Asian Games in China, will also play two matches against Australia ‘A’ after the Test series. Unlike the opening match of the series, the Indian team performed much better and more impressively. The team showed solidarity in every department and played well. The team resorted to aggressive play in the first two quarters, which gave it chances to score. India earned their first penalty corner in the eighth minute but Gurjit’s powerful flick was saved by Australian captain and goalkeeper Jocelyn Bartram.

However, Stewart converted a penalty corner to give Australia the lead in the 12th minute. However, India soon replied to this goal. Starting from midfield, Salima Tete passed the ball inside the circle to Sharmila Devi, who was converted by Sangeeta. This was Sangeeta’s second goal of the series. India continued to play in the same manner in the second quarter as well. Australia had to make a lot of effort to penetrate the Indian defence.

India took the lead in the second minute of the second quarter when Gurjit made no mistake in converting the penalty. The team then had a chance to consolidate the lead in the 22nd minute but Lalremsiami’s attempted reverse hit went wide. A minute before half time, the Indian team could not convert another ‘set piece’ into a goal. Australia showed better play in the second half after trailing 1–2. The team scored two goals in the third quarter.

In the 38th minute of the match, Indian captain Savita made two saves but could not stop Morgan’s shot at the penalty corner. In the last 38 seconds of this quarter, the ball hit Monica’s foot, earning Australia a penalty stroke, which Stewart converted to increase the team’s lead to 3–2. The Indian team tried hard to score the equaliser. The team also got a penalty but they could not take advantage of it.

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