Women's Hockey Asia Cup 2022 | India thrash Singapore 9-1, qualify for Hockey World Cup
A file image of women's hockey team.
|(Twitter)
Team India defeated Singapore 9-1 in the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat, Oman, to advance to the semi-finals of the Women's Hockey Asia Cup 2022. This means that the team has also qualified for the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup, which will be contested in Spain and the Netherlands in July.
For the Indian team, Gurjit Kaur (8', 37', 48') scored a hat-trick, Monika (6', 17') and Jyoti (43', 58') scored two goals each, while Vandana Katariya (8') and Mariana Kujur (10') scored one goal each. Singapore's sole goal came from Li Min Toh (43').
India, the defending champions, finished second in Pool A with six points, behind Japan. They defeated Malaysia 9-0 in the first match before falling 2-0 to Japan in the second. India ranked No. 9 in the world, dominated Singapore, placed 32 places lower at 41st.
From the first whistle, the Indian hockey team went on the attack and quickly made their way into the Singapore circle. In the second minute, the ball fell to Monika, who blasted it into the net to give India the lead.
With their tight marking, India suffocated any spells of possession that Singapore had, and one such turnover resulted in a counter-attack, with Vandana Katariya sweeping home.
India went into the first quarter with a 4-0 advantage thanks to goals from Gurjit Kaur and Mariana Kujur.
India got a penalty corner early in the second quarter, and Monika stepped up instead of normal drag-flicker Gurjit to convert, putting India ahead 5-0 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Gurjit Kaur scored her second penalty corner, and Singapore quickly countered.
Singapore got a penalty corner after a rare push forward, and Toh Li Min equalised. India, on the other hand, replied very quickly, and Jyoti was added to the scorecard.
Gurjit completed her hat-trick with a penalty corner of her own, while Jyoti added a second to her score to round up a dominant victory.
In the semi-final, India will meet South Korea, an old foe. India and South Korea will meet in the last four of the Women's Hockey Asia Cup for the sixth time.
