Hockey Women's Pro League 2021–22: On Debut, India Thrash China 7-1

Hockey Pro League 2021-22: In their opening encounter game of FIH Pro League, team India showed a brilliant performance by defeating China 7-1 in Muscat.

Indian women's team in action (Twitter: @FIH_Hockey)

New Delhi: Marking its debut in FIH Pro League, the Indian women's team on Monday thrashed China 7-1 in a match played at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex.

The Savita Punia-led team showed a splendid performance to get the better of the Chinese in the match played after the Women's Asia Cup where the Indian group had bagged a bronze medal, beating similar rivals 2-0.

Under the leadership of team India's head coach Janneke Schopman, the women in blue today proved that they are more than ready for the challenges in FIH Hockey Pro League.

Following the withdrawal of Australia and New Zealand from the competition because of Covid-related travel restrictions, this was team India's first match in the FIH Hockey Pro League.

In another achievement for the team, three goals were scored from penalty strokes by India, the most penalty strokes to be awarded and converted in a Hockey Pro League match.

In the opening quarter of the match, two goals scored by team India were enough to prove that they are ready to face the challenge. Navneet Kaur smashed a shot past Wu Surong to give her side the lead in the fifth minute. 

Just seven minutes later, a miraculous save by skipper and goalkeeper Savita from a China penalty corner became an advantage for the winning team.

At the beginning of the play, the sequence of passes and a willingness on the part of the players to take on defenders continued but India looked stronger in that area too.

In the second half of the match, Chinese player began raising their game but was unable to mount pressure on the debutants, and then India turned another counter-attack into a goal by Katariya Vandana who set the ball past Wu on the second attempt, after her first shot rebounded, a report on the FIH's official website said.

For the last part of the match, Chinese players began raising their game however couldn't mount tension on the debutants, and afterward, India transformed another counter-assault into an objective by Katariya Vandana who set the ball past Wu on the subsequent endeavor, after  previously shot bounced back, a report on the FIH's true site said.

A few smooth movements and fast passing saw China at last rewarded. The ball was moved quickly up the pitch and Deng Xue had the option to guide the ball goalwards and past Etimarpu Rajani, who had replaced Savita in the India goal.

Any expectation China had that this goal may shift the direction of the game was excused when India won a penalty stroke in the 47th moment. Former captain Sushila Chanu committed no error as she moved forward and place the ball into the corner of the China goal, the report said.

India's next goal came from the stick of forward Sharmila Devi. A progression of passes left the China defence abandoned and Sharmila was able to turn the ball into the goal for India's fifth goal.

A subsequent penalty stroke was won by the India attack as the Chinese defence were only incapable of moving off the deft stick work of Lalremsiami. Gurjit Kaur moved forward to tranquilly and exactly send the ball home.

With eight minutes left Sushila scored her subsequent penalty stroke of the game making the final score 7-1.

Sharmila Devi was adjudged as Player of the Match. On receiving her award, the striker said: "I am very happy with that performance. We played very well and we are very excited to be playing in the FIH Hockey Pro league for the first time."