Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup: India’s quarterfinals hopes take a blow after a damaging 3-4 defeat against Germany in a thriller | Hockey News

There was an eerie similarity to three of the four goals India conceded against Germany in the Pool C match of the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup in Santiago, Chile on Thursday. An Indian player lost the ball in their own half, Germany pounced on possession, drove down the right channel, and eventually found the back of the net.
India’s goalscorers were Annu (11’), Ropni Kumari (14’), and Mumtaz Khan (24’). For Germany, Sophia Schwabe (17’), Laura Pluth (21’, 36’), and Carolin Seidel (38’) were on the scoresheet.
That the 3-4 defeat came after India led the match 2-0 and then 3-2 will hurt them as they slipped to the second place in the group and gave Germany a lifeline. Preeti and Co are now in a must-win situation against Belgium, who have started the tournament on fire with a 6-0 win against Germany and 8-0 win against Canada. Germany face Canada in their final group game and will be favourites to win that and have the additional cushion of knowing how many goals they’d need if indeed India can manage to beat Belgium before that on Saturday.
It all started so brightly for Preeti and Co on Thursday against last edition’s finals Germany. Coming into the match on the back of an impressive 12-0 win against Canada, India started the match on fire with serious attacking pressure in the first minute. Germany goalkeeper Chiara Vischer had to make five different saves in a matter of few seconds to keep the scoreline 0-0.
The opening quarter was a bit scrappy after that but India deservedly took the lead from a Penalty Corner thanks to Annu’s drag flick that took a wicked deflection. Soon after, Ropni Kumari scored from another drag flick, going low to the keeper’s right with a solid strike. Things looked rosy for India as they looked to join Belgium in the quarterfinals if the result stayed that with Germany staring at an exit.
But the danger signs appeared at the end of the opening quarter as Khusbhoo was forced into a smart save from a PC. And then in the second quarter, a switch flipped. Germany started pressing India higher up the pitch to try and force turnovers. They cut down pass angles impressively and India’s attacking rhythm fell away. Dribbles were getting tackled, passes were getting mishit. In a matter of four minutes, Germany found the net twice after turning possession over to level things up.
India did manage to regain some composure and 15-year-old Sakshi Rana did brilliantly down the right flank to force her way into the circle and find Mumtaz Khan with a cut-back. The forward from Lucknow, who is playing her second Junior World Cup, came up with a signature poacher’s finish to give India a 3-2 lead at halftime.
In the break, coach Tushar Khandker said that while he was happy with the attacking play in the first quarter, losing the ball cheaply was a concern. And so India started the second half cautious in possession, playing passes around their own half and kept the ball without taking too much of a risk. Then came another make in the 36th minute as the ball was lost, this time even closer to their own circle and Germany were on level terms.
The comeback would be complete soon enough as Germany hit the post from a PC. The ball bobbled around in a scramble afterwards before being lifted into the goal.
India huffed and puffed after that for the rest of the match but Germany managed the minutes masterfully in the final quarter to inflict a damaging defeat on Preeti and Co.
While there is no shame in losing to a side with a hory in this tournament like Germany do, India would rue the fact their downfall on the day was their own making.
In the 12-0 win against Canada, and even in the match against Germany, there were plenty of positives to emerge – the team’s work rate, the pace and power in their ranks for instance. But they are now faced with a real chance of missing out on the quarterfinals because of minor lapses in concentration. A win against Belgium is not out of the question but they have made life harder for themselves.