Riding on striker Lalremsiami’s hat-trick ,India scored an emphatic 3-0 win over England in the 100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation – International Women’s Tournament in Barcelona on Saturday.
This was India’s first win after ending their previous two matches in a stalemate against England (1-1) and Spain (2-2).Having remained unbeaten so far, Savita led side will play hosts Spain in tomorrow’s last match of the tournament
Lalremsiami scored a goal each in the first, second and last quarter of the match for her hat trick (13′, 17′, 56′).
It was England who got off the mark in a dominant fashion with speedy attack, while the Indians worked calmly to stitch together an effective structure that would yield results. First, it was Neha Goyal who worked a brilliant attempt on goal but was well-defended by the English defence.
However, in India’s next attempt a few minutes later, a long pass by Deep Grace Ekka from the deep midfield was swiftly deflected into the goal by Lalremsiami in the 13th minute. (1-0)
This early goal gave India the right momentum going into the second quarter. They were able to extend the lead to 2-0 in the 17th minute, when a good circle penetration saw Lalremsiami score her second goal. She showcased good footwork, picking up the ball well and pumping it past England’s goalie Sabbie Heesh.
This 2-0 lead put India in a strong position, giving them the cushion to work different combinations that would fetch results in the circle. The third quarter remained goalless, after England squandered a few chances to score. India held on to the lead with some solid defending that kept them in control of the match.
With England desperately trying to find ways to bounce back, the last quarter was entertaining with both teams displaying quick-fire hockey with both teams stepping up the ante in attack. Though England could not beat rival defence, the Indian strikers Sangita, Lalremsiami, Neha and Navneet worked in tandem to extend the team’s lead. It was eventually Lalremsiami who struck again in the 56th minute to help India seal the match with a 3-0 on board.