India survives Polish scare to win R2 title at hom

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Indian girls survived a ever-threatening Polish scare to emerge winners at home in the Hockey World League Round 2 with a flattering 3-1 score.
The winners were given Rs.1 lac to each player by Hockey India.

It was only second time after 2014 Olympic Qualifer for men, National Anthem of India was heard as the winners.

Despite wasting numerous chances in the fist quarter, India went up by a solitary goals when just a few seconds left in the clock with a stunner of shot from women-inform Vandana Kataria, her eleventh goal

A rout was expected, but a minute after first quarter, Poland converted its first penalty corner to level the match 1-1. Orina Walasek was the scorer in the elaborate indirect effort.

Thereafter, with clinical precision in passing and constructing moves, Poland belied its world ranking, which is 13 runks below India’s 13.

Poland in fact got four more penalty corners, but were rusty on the count.

India suffered a major setback when its livewire forward Vandana Kataria got injured after colliding with goalie Donika Nowicka, leaving the game once for all.

Even as the Polish girs were taking charge of the field proceedings, India turned the tide in the 44th minute when captain Rani Ramphal gently tapped in a perfect parallel from right side backline by her captain Ritu Rani.

Top Scorer of the Tournament: Vandana Katariya, India

Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Marta Kucharska, Poland

Junior Player of Tournament: Rani, India