India Beat World No. 1 & Olympic Champions Netherlands In FIH Pro League Shootout Thriller

The Indian women’s hockey team on Tuesday stunned reigning Olympic champions and world No. 1 Netherlands in shootout after the two sides were locked 2-2 in regulation time to end their home leg of the FIH Pro League on a winning note here.

Pien Sanders (17th minute) and Fay van der Elst (28th) had given the Netherlands a 2-0 lead at half time but India made a strong comeback to restore parity through stunning goals from Deepika (35th) and Baljeet Kaur (43rd).

In the shootout, Deepika and Mumtaz Khan found the target for India while Marijn Veen was the lone scorer for the Netherlands, who are also the defending champions.

Veteran India goalkeeper Savita Punia made four crucial saves to play a major role in the team’s victory.

The home team had lost to the same opponents 2-4 in the first leg on Monday.

In the eight matches played in the home leg from February 15, India won three, including Tuesday’s, and lost five, including one in shootout.

With a bonus point from the shootout win, the Indian team is currently at the fifth spot in the FIH Pro League table with 12 points from seven matches, with England at the top with 16 points from seven games.

The Dutch were dominant in the first quarter both in terms of possession and attempts on goal. The visiting team won the first penalty corner of the evening in the fifth minute. Matla Frederique took a powerful shot but Savita made a breathtaking save.

The Netherlands won three back-to-back corners in the remaining minutes but India’s tight defence denied them.

The Dutch continued to pile on the pressure in the second quarter and found the opening goal in the 17th minute courtesy of a penalty corner. The Netherlands played out a variation perfectly as captain Sanders received the ball on the baseline and found the net from a tight angle to give her side the lead.

The Netherlands won their sixth penalty corner in the 23rd minute and tried to play the same variation as before but this time, Sanders’ shot was blocked by an Indian defender.

In the 28th minute, Lalremsiami made a brilliant individual run with the ball from the left flank and pierced into the circle, but unfortunately, couldn’t make an attempt on goal.

With two minutes left in the first half, the Netherlands extended their lead. Luna Fokke received a lofted pass on the baseline and played it across perfectly to Elst in front of goal, who made a diving finish into the net.

India improved on the attacking front in the third quarter as they found two crucial goals to get back on level terms. In the 35th minute, Deepika dribbled down the left flank brilliantly as she went around the Netherlands’ backline, kissed the baseline, and found the net with a perfect finish.

The Dutch maintained pressure on Indian defence as they continued with their relentless attacks. In the 39th minute, the Oranje won yet another penalty corner but Savita ensured the scores remained the same.

India created another scoring opportunity as Deepika held the ball in the circle and passed it on to Salima Tete on the far post but the Indian captain failed to connect and squandered the chance.

India scored the much-needed equaliser in the 43rd minute courtesy of a brilliant finish from Baljeet. Sharmila Devi dribbled down the right wing and found Baljeet whose first-time finish towards the near post sneaked into the net past the Dutch keeper.

With all to play for in the final quarter, both teams went hammer and tongs for the winner. The Netherlands piled on multiple attacks but were wasteful in front of the goal.

In the 53rd minute, India launched a counterattack as Salima paced down the middle into the shooting circle, but the Dutch were quick to fall back and fend off the attack.

India ensured they defended their goal in the dying minutes of the game.

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)