India team captain Preeti on Wednesday exuded confidence of making it to the semifinals of the Women’s Junior Asia Hockey as her team takes on lowly Chinese Taipei in their last pool A match in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture, Japan on Thursday.
“The tournament so far has been good for us as we are yet to lose a game. The matches against Malaysia and Korea were closely-fought, but it gave us a chance to prove our mettle as we bounced back in both games after conceding first.” said Preeti ahead of this match.
Going by their recent form, India shouldn’t face much trouble in defeating Chinese Taipei, who have so far won only one game out of three that they have played in the tournament and are placed fourth in Pool A with just three points in their kitty.
India began their campaign winning their opening two games while in the third match, they came back from behind to pull off a thrilling draw. After registering a stellar 22-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their opening game, India picked up a comeback 2-1 win over Malaysia before fighting back against Korea to secure a 2-2 draw.
India is currently on top of the Pool A table having accumulated seven points from three games and a victory in their last group-stage game against Chinese Taipei will see them advancing to the last-four stage of the tournament.
“We consistently keep our plans and objectives in focus, ensuring that we remain steadfast against any opposition we may encounter. Regardless of the challenges we face, we are committed to giving our best and staying dedicated to our strategies,” Preeti added.