India U-18 women register an emphatic 4-1 win over Australia
Bhopal, May 20
The Indian U-18 Women's Hockey Team produced a dominant display to defeat Australia U-18 Women's Team 4-1 in the fourth and final match of the series at the Udhav Das Mehta Central SAI Centre in Bhopal on Wednesday.
Australia took the lead early in the first quarter through Aurora Kovacevich (8'), putting the visitors ahead. India, however, responded quickly with captain Sweety Kujur (13') scoring the equaliser before the end of the opening quarter, as per a release.
The hosts continued their momentum in the second quarter and took the lead when Diya (25') found the back of the net to give India a 2-1 advantage heading into halftime.
India maintained control in the second half and extended their lead in the third quarter through Priyanka Minz (44'). Nausheen Naz (50') then added another goal in the final quarter to cap off a dominant win for the hosts.
The victory marked a strong finish for the Indian team in a hard-fought series, preparing them well for the U-18 Asia Cup beginning later this month in Japan.
However, Australia won the four-match series, which was part of an exposure tour, 3-1.
Earlier, India Women also faced a defeat in the third match of the series. In the match, Australia took an early lead in the first quarter when Anneliese Cullen (5') scored. India responded well just before the end of the quarter, with Sandeepa Kumari (15') scoring a fine equaliser to make it 1-1.
However, the visitors regained the lead early in the second quarter through a goal from Stella Bartholomeusz (17'). The Indian defence kept the Australian attackers from scoring further in the second half, but the hosts could not find a second goal to equalise.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Dominant display indeed! But let's be honest, the series loss 3-1 shows there's still work to do. The final match win is encouraging, but consistency over a series is key. Hope the team learns from this exposure tour and does well in the U-18 Asia Cup. Good luck, girls!
Brilliant! This is exactly the kind of fight we need in Indian hockey. From 0-1 down to 4-1 up – what character! Sweety Kujur, Diya, Priyanka Minz, and Nausheen Naz – all played like champions. The future of Indian hockey is bright. 🇮🇳🏑
Amazing win! But I'm a bit concerned about the series loss. We need to work on our consistency. However, this final performance shows the potential. The U-18 Asia Cup in Japan will be a real test. Hope the selectors and coaches prepare them well. Jai Hind!
What a turnaround! After losing the first three matches, to come back and smash Australia 4-1 shows real grit. The girls are learning from their mistakes. Special mention to the young Diya for scoring that crucial goal. Superb exposure tour! 👏👏
Impressive win for India! The way they bounced back after conceding early showed great composure. As an Australian, I must say our team struggled in the second half. India's attacking play was too good. Well played! Looking forward to seeing these players in the future.
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