S2H Team

India did what they had to – beat South Africa – and stay alive in the women’s Olympic hockey competition in Tokyo but they will spend tense hours awaiting the Great Britain vs Ireland result in Pool ‘A’.

Three goals by Vandana Katariya and another by Neha Goyal helped India to a 4-3 win over a game South Africa who equalized three times.

 For once, India’s penalty corner routine brought success with three coming from the set-piece which had been the team’s bugbear.

Vandana shot India ahead, scoring after a fine run on the right flank before beating goalkeeper Phumelela Mbande in the fourth minute.

Tarryn Glasby equalized for South Africa in the 15^th minute but India were 2-1 ahead two minutes later when Vandana scored her second with a deflection from Deep Grace Ekka’s penalty corner.

The game ebbed and flowed and South Africa, already out of the running, were determined to go out on a high and their willingness to attack fetched them a penalty corner on the dot of halftime.

Erin Hunter’s deflection from Lisa-Marie Deetlefs penalty corner enabled the African champions to take the interval with honours shared.

Another penalty corner came India’s way, just two minutes into the third quarter and captain Rani Rampal took the drag-flick which the hardworking Neha Goyal deflected neatly into the net to restore India’s lead in the 32^nd minute.

Amazingly, it was 3-3 as Marizen Marias scored with a fine individual effort  in the 39^th minute.

The final quarter promised a lot what with both teams eyeing a win – South Africa for pride and India to cling on to the campaign.

Rani failed with a gilt-edged opportunity at the start of the quarter, finishing with a push that Mbande thwarted, but India were not to be denied the winner.

Vandana did it for India in the 49^th minute with a penalty corner deflection after Gurjit Kaur drag-flicked to make it 4-3 for India who ran down the clock efficiently, registering yet another successful referral on the way to deny South Africa a referral for a penalty corner.