S2H TEAM
Germany muscled out India’s spirited challenge 4-2 in a women’s FIH Pro League match at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London on Saturday. The German ladies fought back from a 0-2 first-quarter deficit to sustain a good run of results despite not playing at their best in the current season. The result took Germany, who beat India 3-1 last week, to 24 points from nine matches, retaining a mathematical chance of surpassing high-flyers The Netherlands.
India, rebuilding under coach Harendra Singh after missing out on the Paris Olympics, are second from the bottom with eight points from 15 matches.
However, Salima Tete’s team have escaped relegation from the nine –nation league after the wooden spoon fell to the USA.
Selina Oruz was named Player of the Match for her marshalling of resources, her vision, prompting and midfield control doing much to rein in an Indian side which counter-attacked with aplomb.
India began in whirlwind fashion. Young Suneilita Toppo, just 17, shot her team ahead after accepting Navneet Kaur’s cross from the right and finishing with a power-backed backhander into Julia Sonntag’s net on nine minutes.
Germany, without leading lights Charlotte Stapenhorst, Niki Lorenz, Anna Schroeder and Sonja Zimmermann, were outplayed in a passage of play and soon found themselves two behind.
Deepika made a midfield steal and combined with Vandana Katariya to accept a return pass and beat Sonntag a second time to swell India’s lead seconds from the first-quarter hooter. A dream start against Germany by any reckoning.
Coach Valentin Altenburg said pre-match he was looking for performance more than results. Came the second quarter, his team seemed to respond to his wish with the bonus of a goal. A penalty corner – Germany’s second – arrived and Viktoria Huse crunched the ball between goalkeeper Kharibam Bichu Devi and the post player to pull one back in the 23rd minute.
After the crossover, a penalty corner in the 32nd minute brought Huse her brace, courtesy a high dragflick past Savita Punia and the post player.
Germany then took firm control. Lena Micheel shot just wide from a backhander, Lilly Stoffelsma fired just over the bar and the European powerhouse were looking good for the go-ahead goal.
India, however, came back into the contest but a series of wasted opportunities appeared to hurt their morale.
Deepika panicked after dashing unchallenged into the circle but and came up second best to Sontag with a backhand attempt.
Deepika agonized again after effecting a lethal cross that failed to find an Indian stick with Sonntag well beaten and the contest went into the fourth quarter looking like anybody’s game.
Germany however snatched the lead with their fourth penalty corner when Stine Kurz scored in the 51st minute.
A period of Germany ascendancy followed but India could have levelled in the 53rd minute when Navneet drew Sonntag to a smart save.
Jule Bleuel put the match beyond India in the 55th minute with a backhander to the far post that left Savita standing.
India wind up their league commitments on Sunday (16.45 IST) against hosts Great Britain.