India wins the Challenge II, defeat Belgium 6-3

India defeated Belgium to lift the Kazan Champions Challenge Cup II held at Kazan, capital of Tartarstan, Russia.

India thus qualifies for the Champions Challenge proper to be held next year. India last played Champions Challenge proper in 2001 and won the bronze at Johannesburg, South Africa. Till then, it has been struggling to enter the Champions Challenge round. This win puts India to this missing launching pad.

Playing like a lion, or lioness, Indian team won all its five matches with a comfortable majority. Its perhaps first time Indian girls won a tournament without losing a match.

The win is also sweet revenge for the girls, as they failed to click last year in the Olympic Qualifier. India finished fourth in a field of six losing to among others Belgium. It is therefore all the more significant that India defeated Belgium twice in this tournament, both on good score. India defeated Belgium 5-3 in the opener on 21st June.

In a high scoring match, India scored half a dozen against 3 by the Belgium side.

Indian captain Surinder Kaur was declared Best Player of the Tournament

Rani Devi scored four goals today in the 17th, 38th, 44th and 54th minutes, while Saba Anjum (20th min)and Chanchan Devi (49th min) scored a goal each.

Indian team also scored many laurels, bagging as many as four awards

AWARDS:

Best Player of Tournament: Surinder Kaur

Top Goal Scorer: Rani Devi

Youngest Player: Rani Devi

Most Outstanding Player: Deepika Thakur

Goal Scorers

1) Rani: 4 (3 Field Goal + 1 PC)
2) Saba Anjum: 1 (1 Field Goal)
3) Chanchan Devi:1 (1 Field Goal)

SCORING SEQUENCE

17minRani Devi

20min Saba Anjum

38min Rani Devi

40 min Valeri Score 3-1

44min Rani Devi

49min Chanchan Devi

52min Valeri

54min Rani Devi

55min Boon Jii Score 6-3

Pic Caption:

Top: Victorious coach MK Kaushik
Middle: Rani Devi, top scorer of the Champions Challenge II, Kazan
Bottom: Victorious team at Kazan