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The Indian women’s hockey team suffered their third straight defeat in the FIH Pro League 2023-24 after losing 3-0 to Australia on Wednesday, February 7. It was another disappointing effort by the home side which left the fans at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar dejected.
The Indian team once again tried to play a high press and attack their opponents. However, they were unable to capitalize as their forwards failed to create space in the circle for themselves and score.
The Australians, on the other hand, used their counter-attacks brilliantly and left the Indian defense looking silly at times.
The first goal of the match came from Australia’s captain Grace Stewart in the 19th minute. A penalty corner allowed Tatum Stewart to double the Aussies' lead in the 23rd minute.
The Indian team tried hard to get on the board in the fourth quarter but only ended up conceding another goal in the 55th minute.
To further understand the causes of the Indian team’s defeat, here is a look at the hits and flops for the home side from Wednesday’s game.
Hit: Salima Tete was yet again the most effective player
Once again, one of the most dynamic players on the field for India was Salima Tete. The speedy midfielder was again trying her best to open up the scoring channels for India and feed the attackers.
Although majorly operating on the right-hand side of the field, she was also present in other areas when it was required. The Indian team is lucky to have a player of her quality.
Flop: Neha Goyal looked ineffective
In recent times, Neha Goyal’s form has been a worry. At her best, the midfielder from Haryana plays a key role in the midfield. However, she doesn’t seem to be making the sort of impact needed in recent times.
She hasn’t been completely tidy with her work and has often seemed absent in the midfield. She hasn’t been able to assist the attackers and impose herself on the opposition while playing in the last 25 also.
Flop: Gurjit Kaur disappointed
Coming back into the team after missing the Olympic Qualifiers due to an injury, Gurjit Kaur is yet to find her form. Both aspects of her game – penalty corner specialist and defender – look a bit rusty.
India are not relying solely on her for their penalty corner attempts and are using variations. But when she did get the opportunity, she wasn’t able to capitalize.
As a defender too, she has been less than ideal. With India playing high-press at times, she isn’t in the ideal position to defend. Yet, when the opponents pressured the Indian circle, she wasn’t the most robust defender for her team.
Flop: Vandana Katariya not in form
Another person making a comeback, Vandana Katariya also disappointed. As the leading forward for the team, she is expected to open up the opposing side’s defense.
However, almost all of India’s chances are coming through the right-hand side channel. This is a clear failure of Vandana and her fellow attackers as they are not pressuring the center of Australia’s defense.
Hit: Lalremsiami packed a punch
India’s best attacker in this match, as well as in the earlier game against China, seemed to be Lalremsiami. The forward from Mizoram has been playing as a winger and has been excellent in that role.
It seems that coach Janneke Schopman has figured out how best to use Lalremsiami in the team’s forward line. Hopefully, this would continue and the star from Mizoram would remain a big threat at the front.
