Argentina’s Women Team Won FIH Pro League Defeating India
Argentina’s women team became the new champion of the Pro League, defeating India: FIH Pro League.
The Indian women’s hockey team lost 2-3 to Olympic silver medalists Argentina after losing a goal lead in the second match of the FIH Pro League double leg match here on Sunday.
Argentina’s women team won the FIH Pro-League title with 42 points from 16 matches. The team captured the title on the first par.
She finished 10 points ahead of second-placed defending champions the Netherlands, who have two matches left.
The Indian team remained in third place in their debut season with 24 points from 12 matches.
In the first match on Saturday, the Indians performed brilliantly to beat Argentina 2-1 in the shootout after a 3-3 draw in the stipulated time.
With this victory, the morale of the Indian women players was boosted and they put pressure on Argentina’s defense from the very beginning, playing with this spirit.
The Indians showed great performance not only in attack but also in the backline.
At least in the first two quarters, the Savita Poonia-led side’s defense foiled several Argentine attempts.
Both the teams gave equal competition to each other in the first quarter, although could not score goals.
The Indian team scored the first goal.
India took the lead in the 23rd minute when a counter-attacking Salima Tete shot past the Argentine defense and it deflected from goalkeeper Belen Suki’s stick and went inside.
After 3 minutes, Indian goalkeeper Savita kept her team’s lead with a brilliant defense of Julieta Jankunas’s shot. After this, Argentina put 3 shots towards the goal, but Savita did not let them in.
Argentina’s women’s team became the new champion: Argentina equals.
After switching sides, Argentina stepped up their attack and held control for much of the third quarter.
The Indian player was struggling to match Argentina’s pace and the game was going on inside the Indian half. In the 37th minute, Savita failed Jankunas’ close-range shot.
But a minute later, Delfina Thom converted her team’s level into a goal scored by Sofia Tocalino. India soon got a penalty corner, though Udita squandered the opportunity.
Argentina again scored 2 goals in 3 minutes after scoring 2 penalty corners and took a 3-1 lead.
Eugenia Trinchinetti first scored in the 41st minute with a brilliant variation and then two minutes later, Augustina Gozzerlani, who scored a hat-trick in the previous match, scored.
But the Indian player was also in no mood to give up without being challenged. After 3 minutes, Deep Grace Ekka scored a penalty corner and made the margin of defeat 2-3.
The Indians kept trying till the hooter was sounded and in the 55th minute, Vandana Kataria came close to equalizing on the counter-attack, but her reverse hit was well defended by Suki.
The Indian team will now play America on June 21 and 22.
