It was supposed to be a grudge match at the ongoing seventh women’s Asia Cup, and the game lived up to its billing. After a lacklustre performance against Malaysia in their last league match, India came up with a far superior display in the semi-finals against Korea on Friday, winning 3-2 to book themselves a final berth and, with it, a spot at the 2010 World Cup in Rosario, Argentina.
With this win, India also avenged their defeat to the same opponents, at the same stage, in the 2007 edition — where Korea won 5-2 — and chief coach MK Kaushik admitted as much. “We had defeated them in the Asian Games, but this was no doubt a revenge match. We were the defending champions in 2007 but had lost to Korea. This time, the team played far better and as a complete unit. I am happy with my team’s overall performance — defence, attack and the midfield — today,” he said from Bangkok.
Kaushik had blamed his forwards for squandering chances against Malaysia. On Friday, they not only created them by the dozen — India went up 3-0 and looked to be cruising at one point — before the Korean fought back to keep their chances alive. Jasjeet Kaur struck twice and Rani Ramphal found the net once to put India 3-0 up before the Koreans decided to go for all out attack and found the target twice.
Saba Anjum earned India’s first and only penalty corner and Jasjeet’s powerful drag-flick put India ahead in the seventh minute. With the Koreans going into defence mode, the Indians were unable to score again in the first half but doubled the lead five minutes into second half when Jasjeet stuck again, this time with a field goal.
In the 50th minute, Rani latched on to a midfield pass to put the ball past Korean goalkeeper Young Hui Moon to set up India on road to a comfortable win. But the Koreans refused to give up and, two minutes later, reduced the margin through Eun Sil Kim. Mihyun Park scored another in the 65th minute and the Indians survived some tense moments before coming out victorious. “The fact that we managed to hold on in the dying moments is a positive sign,” Kaushik said. India have won the title only once before.
In Sunday’s final, India play China, who beat Japan by a solitary goal scored by Zhou Yu Diao.