It was expected to be a cakewalk and India duly obliged, registering an overwhelming 13-0 win against Thailand in its third game of the Asian Champions Trophy here on Thursday to join China as the only two unbeaten teams in the competition.
While the teams are tied on nine points each, China remains on top by virtue of its massive goal difference. India began on the front foot and stayed so all through, dominating the proceedings against the hapless Thais.
Not surprisingly, Deepika was the wrecker in chief, scoring both through penalty corners and in open play, starting as early as the third minute with a reverse hit from the top of the circle.
India’s Deepika scoring the first goal against Thailand during the Women’s Asian Championship Trophy at Rajgir, Bihar.
| Photo Credit:
R. V. Moorthy / The Hindu
India’s Deepika scoring the first goal against Thailand during the Women’s Asian Championship Trophy at Rajgir, Bihar.
| Photo Credit:
R. V. Moorthy / The Hindu
She would go on to add four more to her tally, two of them through PCs, even as the others joined the party. Manisha Chauhan scored her first two international goals – first off a PC and then a lazy swing that saw the ball trickle past the goalline – while Preeti Dubey, Lalremsiami and Beauty Dung Dung got two each.
India though was slightly cautious in the first half, perhaps taking time to get into a rhythm. Thailand too, after its impressive draw in the previous game, was effectively defensive, staying back in numbers to deny India’s shots at the goal. It was only a matter of time, however, before the floodgates opened.
India earned 11 PCs through the game and for once, coach Harendra Singh was not complaining about either the numbers or the conversions. If anything, India could have managed at least a few more in the first half before the host upped its level post-break and went on a rampage. Four goals were scored in the last three minutes of the third quarter.
Needing 17 goals to leapfrog China into the top spot, India finally went all out in the final four minutes, taking off the goalkeeper and scoring four goals in six minutes but had to settle for 13.
Earlier, Malaysia earned its first points in the tournament with a 2-1 win against Korea, its first ever against the higher-ranked opponent in an international competition. China, meanwhile, continued its impressive unbeaten run with a 2-1 win against Japan to stay on top of the table.
The results:
Malaysia 2 (Zati Muhamad, Nur Mohammed) bt Korea 1 (Eunbi Cheon); China 2 (Lihang Wang 2) bt Japan 1 (Hanami Saito); India 13 (Deepika 5, Preeti Dubey 2, Lalremsiami 2, Beauty Dung Dung 2, Manisha Chauhan 2) bt Thailand 0.
