Navneet Kaur helps Indian women's hockey team end Australia tour with narrow win

Indian women’s hockey team lost four consecutive matches before the victory.

 The Indian women’s hockey team enjoyed a 1-0 victory over Australia in the fifth and final game of their Australia tour, at the Perth Hockey Stadium on Sunday. Navneet Kaur (21’) scored the only goal of the match to ensure India ended the series on a strong note. 

In the first quarter, Australia dominated the play and won two penalty corners but India’s resilient defence denied them the opening goal. Six minutes into the second quarter, India clinched the lead courtesy of a field goal from vice-captain Navneet Kaur.

It was a cagey affair in the second half with both teams eyeing to score a goal but India held their composure at the back and successfully defended their slim lead. In the final quarter, Australia received a crucial penalty corner, however, they squandered the chance to equalise and handed over the victory to the visitors. 

Earlier yesterday, India suffered a fourth consecutive loss on the tour, after going down 2-3 at the Perth Hockey Stadium. Navneet Kaur (35′) found the net as did Lalremsiami (59′) but it wasn’t enough as Grace Stewart (2’), Jade Smith (36’), and Greta Hayes (42’) for Australia to edge out a win.

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Australia scored the first goal in the first quarter and took a 1-0 lead. The breakthrough came as early as the second minute when Grace Stewart found the back of the net. India worked hard to level the score in the remainder of the quarter but could not find the equaliser.

In the second quarter, India successfully defended an early penalty corner and withstood another set-piece threat late in the period, keeping the deficit to a single goal at half-time.

India fought their way back into the contest in the third quarter, when Navneet successfully converted a penalty corner in the 35th minute to level the scores. The respite was brief as Australia responded immediately with Jade Smith’s field goal giving them the lead in the 36th minute.

Australia won two more penalty corners before Greta Hayes’ 42nd-minute goal extended their lead again. India reduced the margin in the final quarter when Lalremsiami found the net late in the game, but Australia kept the Indian attack at bay to secure victory.

After two losses against the Australia A side and two losses against the senior team, India bounced back well in the series with a positive win over the hosts on the final day.

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