Women's Hockey India League: Odisha Warriors book final berth; Delhi SG Pipers finish at bottom despite bonus point

Despite a penalty shootout loss to Delhi SG Pipers, Odisha Warriors became the first team to qualify for the Women’s Hockey India League final.

The Delhi SG Pipers showed great composure as Elodie Picard’s brilliance between the sticks saw them earn a 3-2 shootout win against the Odisha Warriors in the Women’s Hockey India League clash on Thursday. Goals from Navneet Kaur (28′) and Yibbi Jansen (35′) saw both sides locked at 1-1 at the end of regulation time before the SG Pipers snapped up the win in the subsequent penalty shootout.

Delhi carved out the first chance of the match around the eighth minute when their skipper Navneet Kaur made a brilliant run into the circle and opted for a slapshot across the goal, but Geeta Yadav couldn’t get her stick to the ball. Odisha Warriors made their attacking intent known soon after as Sakshi Rana threaded a peach of a pass for Michelle Fillet in front of the goal.

Fillet had the goal at her mercy, but Bichu Devi showed excellent reflexes to make a stunning save. Sakshi created another chance a few minutes later, but Shileima Chanu was alert to the danger.

The SG Pipers largely focussed their attack on the left flank and one such move saw a lovely long pass found Charlotte Watson inside the circle. She attempted a tomahawk from a tight angle, but her shot blazed above the goal. Their relentless pressure paid off in the 28th minute as the SG Pipers finally found the all-important goal.

Preeti Dubey made a sublime run, leaving defenders in her wake, before being stick-checked right before having a go at the goal. That won them a penalty stroke and Navneet made no mistake, slotting the ball into the left bottom corner to give her side a 1-0 lead.

The Odisha Warriors began the second half with renewed vigor and won the game’s first penalty corner, via Baljeet Kaur, in the 34th minute. Yibbi Jansen smashed a drag-flick towards the right but had her attempt saved on the goal line, however, she scored a fantastic goal from the resulting penalty corner.

She picked up the push well and unleashed a ferocious drag-flick that beat the rushers and the goalkeeper before finding the net to make it 1-1 in the 35th minute.

The SG Pipers won their first penalty corner in the 41st minute but Navneet’s strike did not find the target. Jansen nearly had her second goal as she did well to receive an inch-perfect aerial pass from Claire Colwill, but Bichu Devi was up to the challenge to make a fine save.

With everything to fight for in the final quarter, the SG Pipers found themselves in a spot of bother as Lily Owsley received a yellow card in the 49th minute, meaning the side would have one player less for five minutes. The Odisha Warriors found themselves in a similar position as their captain Neha Goyal was shown a yellow card and missed the final minutes of play.

The SG Pipers made the most of their numerical advantage as they won a penalty corner in the final minute, but Jocelyn Bartram denied Stephanie De Groof to ensure the scoreline remained 1-1 and a penalty shootout followed.

Both the goalkeepers were in terrific form in the penalty shootout as Bartram and Elodie Picard made save after save. It all boiled down to the 10th attempt when the Odisha Warriors trailed 2-3. Freeke Moes ran at Picard and swivelled around, but Picard did well to put her off and force her to miss the target.

Moes reviewed the play and appealed for a penalty stroke, but the TV umpire did not change the on-field umpire’s decision, and the SG Pipers snapped up their second win of the season.

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