S2H Team

India restricted the Netherlands to their narrowest victory this season in the Women’s FIH Pro League, going down 1-3 at the Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

The Dutch raced to 18 points from six matches at the top in the nine-nation league’s fifth season but will reflect on a stern test by an Indian side reeling from a spate of disappointment, not least non-qualification for the Olympics and an opening 1-2 defeat to China on Saturday.

Yibbi Jansen scored twice from penalty corners (3’, 34’) and Fay van der Elst (20’) struck with a field goal for the Dutch. India’s lone strike came from the blade of Navneet Kaur (9’) in open play.

India brought in Baljeet and Deepika Kumari into today’s starting line-up. They stuck with 16-year-old forward Sunelita Toppo who had an impressive debut against China and carried on in a similar vein on the day.

The Netherlands, coached by Paul van Ass who had coached India’s men’s team almost a decade ago expressed delight at the challenge India provided his free-wheeling team.

The Dutch, on their part, showed every nuance that makes them the powerhouse they are and they soaked up the occasional pressure applied by the hosts especially in the fourth quarter when they coped with a yellow card.

India enjoyed a slice of luck on two occasions when the post denied Pien Dicke in the second quarter and again in the fourth quarter when it was Jansen’s turn to agonize.

There was a touch of inevitably that the Netherlands would storm the Indian citadel. That they did but captain Savita Punia stuck out her left pad to deny Dicke attempting to score with a backhander after a characteristic flowing move by the World and Olympic champions in the first minute itself.

However, Savita let one go right through her when Yippi Jansen, fourth season top scorer with 14, sent a drag-flick grounder to the boards to put her side 1-0 ahead in the ninth minute.

India, by then, were far from pinned in their half. They traded turnovers with their vaunted Europeans and funnily may have pleased their Head Coach Paul van Ass whose all-conquering team was now being tested.

Surely enough, India responded magnificently. Navneet restored parity with an act of class on top of the circle after accepting Sunelita’s pass. The stalwart of 155 internationals turned two and fro, blindsided a defender and spanked the ball to the board past a bewildered Josine Koning in goal with the match only nine minutes old.

But not for nothing are the Dutch enjoying a lofty status. As is the Oranje’s wont they pieced together slick offensives and Dicke in the thick of things may have shouted “goal” when she squared up Savita only to see the ball hit the far post and rebound into play.

The Dutch, however, shot ahead 2-1 when Van der Elst scored a gem, deflecting a cross from the right past Savita.

The Indian captain made amends with two smart saves from penalty corners as the halftime approached to keep her team in it.

The Netherlands expectedly stepped on the gas after the change of ends and forced their fifth penalty corner out of six in the match to set the stage for Jansen to send a rocket of a drag-flick over Savita’s head to make it 3-1.

The frantic pace set by the Netherlands appeared to take its toll and India appeared to tire rapidly as the minutes ticked by.

A let-off in the form of Jansen rattling the far post with a backhander and a yellow card with 10 minutes remaining presented the hosts a much-needed respite.

India capitalized on the numerical superiority to force their sixth penalty corner, matching their opponents’ count, but the scoreline remained unchanged.