Indian girls led by Rani Rampal have started their long drawn 5-match Test series against South Korea on a winning note. Youngster Lalremsami’s fifth minute goal was all that required for Indian girls to walk away with a morale boosting victory today in South Korea.
South Korea is a super power in Asia if not on a global scale. India for instant lost to them in the crucial semifinals of the last Asian Games.
Indian team under the new coach Harendra Singh is showing vast improvement in its approach to the game, and the results are there to show. It is worthwhile to note here that Indian girls defeated their gifted rivals in the Kakakimahara Asia Cup a few months ago.
Hockey India press release adds: In the fourth quarter, India’s goalkeeper Swati playing in her debut match made some important saves to keep India’s 1-0 lead intact. The 24-year-old Indian goalkeeper saved two PCs in the opening six minutes of the fourth quarter and became a decisive factor in her team’s 1-0 win when she saved a Penalty Stroke in the 50th minute to deny the hosts a way back into the match. The final few minutes were all about India keeping their defensive shape, and going for a second goal which would guarantee them the victory. The visitors were awarded two more PCs in the last few minutes but their efforts were kept out by a well-organised South Korean defense. A brilliant all-round performance from the Indian team made sure that they started their campaign with a strong 1-0 win.