S2H Team

China scripted another turnaround against India. This time in Rourkela where the second mini-tournament, a subset of the FIH Pro League, has moved to after Bhubaneswar.
At the Birsa Munda Stadium on Monday, the Chinese women hit back after falling a goal behind against the hosts, winning 2-1 just as they did in the first meeting, thanks to a double strike by Player-of-the-Match Gu Bingfeng who struck with a penalty corner and a penalty stroke (14′,53′).
India, who made an electric start to the game drew first blood with a quality goal by Sangita Kumari (7′) and raised expectations from the loyal local support at the plush venue.
But China enjoy the tutelage of the Australian legend Alyson Annan. They duly stuck to their strength in structure, organised defense, and an expansive passing game to stifle India’s early effervescence and take control of proceedings.
The Chinese girls were stronger on the ball and even though the Indians — star midfielder Salima Tete in particular — showed pace and customary skill, they failed to unlock the Chinese defence and faltered with the final pass and finish.
Vandana Katariya made her presence felt as is her wont, this time as a provider with a classic back-handed cross that found Sangita Kumari trapping and slotting home from close range to put India ahead.
Disappointingly for head coach Janneke Schopman of the Netherlands, her team went off the boil shortly later but not after forcing a series of three penalty corners that brought no reward.
Navneet, using the hit, stretched the PC defence into conceding a re-award but Deepika Kumari, India’s lone drag-flicking prospect in the absence of Gurjit Kaur, couldn’t make an impact with her essays.
China lost their video referral as early as the fifth minute but It didn’t take long for them to get into their stride. Two penalty corners arrived with quarter-time approaching and Bingfeng drag-flicked to the boards past an off-balanced Indian captain and goalkeeper Savita Punia who later said she should have done far better.
With the scores level, the encounter slipped into a lull as either team tried in vain to break down the rival citadel. India raised the decibels with halftime approaching when Deepika was at the end of a swift counter-attack to force her team’s fourth PC but could do little with the opportunity.
Errors crept in on either side of the pitch as both teams fell short of producing a clinical finish that could decide the match.
China, however, looked the more adept at forcing a result and made most of their fourth penalty corner that was met by a body on the line.
Curiously, Savita came in for Kharibam Bichu Devi at that moment to face the penalty stroke but Bingfeng found the left corner of the boards to put her team ahead.
Penalty corners Nos. 5 and 6 arrived for India with five minutes left on the clock but Jiao was equal to Navneet’s hit and the variation to follow amid frenetic action in the goalmouth.
Jiao blocked another Indian essay as time ticked away but China subsequently ran down the clock comfortably to register 12 points from five matches in the league that now sees them in second spot.
The Netherlands beat the USA 4-0 earlier in the evening to lead the nine-nation table with 27 points from nine matches. Australia are third with six from four, Argentina fourth with five from four while India, with three from five, are fifth.
Australia play China at 1730IST on Wednesday followed by India v Netherlands at 1930IST.