FIH Pro League 2023-24: India women defeat USA via shootout
A day after upsetting World No. 3 Australia, India women once again played an entertaining and fast-paced brand of hockey to defeat the United States (US) 2-1 via shootout in an FIH Pro League match here on Sunday.
The regulation period ended in a 1-1 stalemate with India scoring in the 19th minute through young drag-flicker Deepika Kumari and the US equalising through Ashley Sessa in the 45th minute.
Mumtaz Khan and Sonika were on target in the shootout, while Leah Crouse scored for the losing team.
Despite the win, the Indian coach, Janneke Schopman, was unhappy with the way the Savita Punia-led side dominated for the most part and still could not win the contest in regulation time, despite earning several penalty corners (PC).
The win on Sunday came after India had thrashed the US 3-1 in the Bhubaneswar leg of the Pro League. The victory would have soothed the nerves of the 20,000-odd crowd at the stadium, who saw the US score the equaliser in the dying minutes of the third quarter.
India completed its Pro League engagements at home with three wins and five defeats — twice against the US and once against Australia. Having defeated Australia on Saturday at the same venue, the Indians had spring in their steps but displayed the tendency to hang on to the ball for far too long and their penalty corner conversion remained abysmal.
Four minutes into the second quarter, India earned its first PC, and Deepika punched in the goal, sending a low shot that hit the bottom-right corner of the goal.
The US team was a bundle of energy all through and desperately tried to get back into the game, but against the run of play, India earned three more penalty corners before the end of the second quarter, all of which were not utilised.
In the closing moments of the third quarter, the Americans went for a penalty-corner variation and succeeded.
Alexandra Hammel tried a shot and Savita went on her knees to make the save. However, Sessa, who had made the PC injection, had swiftly made her way towards the goal by then. With the rebound falling awkwardly, the American dived forward to send a lovely looped shot over the goalkeeper and into the net.
The fourth quarter did not yield any goal though a desperate Lalremsiami played in a cross from the right but the American defence was firm