7-0 win not good enough for eves
Prabhjot Singh
New Delhi, October 8
India woman were unimpressive even after they made mince meat of Trinidad and Tobago in its pool A match for their first win in the hockey competition of the Commonwealth Games at the historic Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here this afternoon.
The 7-0 win – with four field goals and three penalty corner conversion – may not be enough to carry them through to the medal round as other teams in their pool as both Australia and South Africa had recorded much bigger wins against Trinidad and Tobago in their pool games. India needed to win by a much bigger margin to remain within a chance of making the last four.
Going by the performance of the teams so far, India is virtually out of contention for the semi-final berth. The only possibility it has to score a huge win with a minimum difference of eight goals against South Africa tomorrow. And this looks not only improbable but impossible.
Australia had defeated West Indians 11-0 while Springboks won by a dozen. Scotland against whom started with a 1-1 draw had beaten Trinidad and Tobago 6-1.
Earlier in the day, Australia and South Africa played a 1-1 draw to put additional pressure on India. South Africa has two wins and a draw from three games while India has one win, a draw and a loss to its credit so far.
Tomorrow’s game between India and South Africa will be decisive as only a big win can take the home team to semi-finals. On the other hand, even a defeat for South Africans by a margin of less than seven goals will not come in their way of joining the pool leader Australia in the semis.
Australia play Scotland in its last game. Scotland is also tottering at four points with a win, a draw and a defeat. Even if it holds Australia to a draw, it does not help India as one point from the last game would be enough to take the defending champions through to the medal round.
Runners-up in the last edition of the Games at Melbourne and winners at Manchester in 2002, Indian women have been going down the hill. An eighth-minute goal by skipper Surinder Kaur set the ball rolling for them. India could add only three more – one each by Rani Rampal, Ritu Rani and Surinder Kaur – all Shahbad Markanda girls before the gong sounded for the breather.
In the second half, home team looked disinterested and disjointed as its appetite for goals appeared to be satiated. It added only three more, including two by Surinder Kaur and one by Jasjeet Kaur Handa.