On the same turf that Indian seniors won their Asia Cup seven years ago, Preeti led Juniors annexed the Junior title today, beating fighting South Korea 2-1 in the final. Annu and Neelam struck through penalty corner and stroke respectively for the crown win.

India got fewer chances, but utilized them (2 goals out of 3 PCs) smartly to emerge victorious. Defence where Neelam was outstanding in whatever she did, and Goalkeeper Madhuri too coming to form all through, was the feature of this success. Indians defended as many as eight penalty corners today, which proved to be Achilles’ heels of the losing rival. At least three of their PCs were not stopped on the circle top.

India took off when it got a stroke in the penalty corner drill, which Neelam cleverly converted to get India the lead, which came much against the run of play.

Very early in the  match, South Korea pushed hard from both flanks to get two successive penalty corners but both were frittered away with poor stops on the top of the circle. India’s defence too was tested hard in the spell, where first rusher Vaishnavi won our hears.

Indian girls at Jr Asia Cup

South Korea was within the grasp of taking the first goal when its fourth penalty corner drill almost found home, but on the goaline Neelam saved. This turned out to be the game changer, one would say.
Goalie Madhuri Kindo was on perfect bloc when the Koreans took another penalty corner. In fact, India survived five penalty corners in the space of five minutes.

It was late but India woke upto the task on hand, and had managed to surge ahead, and got a reward in the form of second penalty corner in the 22nd minute. The flick was meant for deflection but when it did occur, it hit the foot of a defender on the goaline leading to stroke.

Neelam had no difficulty in seeing the ball home (1-0)

However, her joy was short-lived, as fast moving Pak Seoyeon showed a clean pair of heels to the defence and managed a lightening shot from the left side to see the ball sounding the far end, leaving acute angle defending Madhuri hapless (1-1).
With a few seconds, the Korean girls got their seventh penalty corner but their executioner, in an elaborate indirect maneuver, hit it wide.

India got their penalty corner award disallowed after umpires’ discussion, and their woes were almost to be double within seconds but Park Mihang failed to send the ball inside the cage with just a goalie to beat. She could only place her feeble scoop on the diving goalie.

It was not turn of the Korean to see their penalty corner award disallowed by the other umpire.

It was a clever on the top of the edge ball control that got India its third penalty corner in the 41st minutes. The Indian forward, in her overenthusiasm to doge, fell but managed to put the ball among the maze of legs. This spontaneity, in the ultimate analysis, gave India the title victory.

Neelam’ s hard hit from top bemused the goalie and the Indian girls jumped up in joy (2-1).

The contested has reached a crucial phase and saw quick exchanges, and heated moves. When the umpire signalled a penalty corner for South Korea, their eighth, Vaishnavi questioned it only to see her flashing Yellow card.

Within seconds another attack fetched another penalty corner, the ninth and the last, but it was hit to the centre, where with anticipation the well-positioned Madhuri kicked it off. Moments later, Korea attacked ferociously, but a  3-D defence by Neelam won the heart. She held the ball in air all through, and cleared it out of danger.

Thus, despite getting fewer chances, India utilized them (2 goals out of 3 PCs) smartly to emerge victorious.

When the both met in the league, it was again a tight fight which ended in a 2-2 draw.