Indian women will meet tough Japan in the Quarters in Dublin

Indian women thrashed Azerbaijan 6-1 and thus entered the quarterfinal of the FIH Women’s Champions Challenge I. with this good news come the fact that India will now engage Asian neighbour Japan, a known Indian tormentor, the quarters

Skipper Saba Anjum led from the front firing three goals as India routed Azerbaijan 6-1 to advance into the Quarter Finals of the FIH Womens Champions Challenge 1 at Dublin today.

India, who led 5-0 at half time, were in control of of their last Pool B round robin contest. They went down in the opener against hosts Ireland 1-2 and drew the next 1-1 with Spain.

The goal scorers for India were Saba Anjum (4th, 7th, 32nd min), Deepika Thakur (10th min penalty corner), Rani Rampal (18th min) and Jasjit Kaur Handa (52nd min) while the sole markswoman for Azerbaijan was Khatira Aliyeva from a penalty corner in the 47th min.

India thus finished second in their pool behind Ireland to claim their rightful quarters spot and will now play Japan in the Quarter Final on Thursday.

Tough Japan

It is a fact that whenever India overcome Japan it got a medal of sort in the Asian circuit. In the Asian Games and Asia Cup, the history shows the same. As Korea and China walked away with the top two slots, these two traditional teams were left to fight for the remainder of the honour. In the last year Asian Games, for instance, India lost to Japan 0-1 to miss out the bronze, though this performance was notches better than the league engagement (0-3). However, it has to be said that, of late, Japan has easily been defeating India. If any doubts exist, the test series the teams played early last year is a proof. India lost three matches while drawing one. In the Asian Champions Trophy too India lost badly, it met twice and India lost both, one as badly as 1-6. The consolation of course is the World Cup where India defeated Japan 2-0 in the pool. But the joy was short-lived as the Asian Games results would vouch-safe.

Now, under tactician coach CR Kumar, it remains to be seen which way the India-Japan macth will go.