The Hindu : India swamps Kazakhstan, meets Korea in semifinals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 05, 2004

Sport

Sport - Hockey

India swamps Kazakhstan, meets Korea in semifinals

By Rakesh Rao

India's Adline Kerketta sends one past Kazakhstan goal-keeper. - Photo: V. Sudershan

NEW DELHI, FEB. 4. India attained its primary objective of topping Pool `A' and earned a semifinal meeting with defending champion Korea in the women's Asia Cup hockey tournament at the National Stadium here.

On Wednesday afternoon, about half an hour after China defeated Malaysia 7-1 on the second ground, India completed an 8-0 victory over Kazakhstan in its last league engagement. Though India and China finished with seven points each, the host took the top spot in the pool due to its superior goal-difference.

Later, trailing by four goals with 20 minutes to go, Korea almost scripted a great comeback before running out of time and allowing Japan to escape with a 4-3 victory. Japan, clearly the most impressive team in the competition so far, faces China in Friday's second semifinal.

Against a hapless Kazakhstan, India called the shots and struck twice through Surinder Kaur in the first three minutes. With the Kazakhs bent on packing its striking circle, India managed to gain 11 penalty corners. Like India's previous matches, Suman Bala was once again trusted to strike through penalty corners but the result was no better.

If three goals came following penalty corners, they were results of variations aimed at beating Kazakhstan's goalkeeper L. Adilgereyeva whose repeated sprawling saves proved frustrating for the Indians. Following short corners, Sanggai Chanu was quick to find the target twice after skipper Surajlata Devi had similarly slotted home in the first session.

Later, in successive minutes, Adline Kerketta added two goals to the tally through rasping shots from the top of the circle after Saba Anjum had made it 5-0.

Previously, against Malaysia and China, India had struggled to score after creating opportunities. Even today, facing a defensive rival, India's finishing was not sharp enough. At times, India attacked with nine players but met with limited success.

Coach M.K. Kaushik looked pleased with the team heading the pool, but was quick to reiterate that "shooting'' had to improve for India to advance further in the competition. "After we learnt that China had won 7-1, our target was to score nine goals and offset any goal that we may have conceded. But Kazakhstan never attacked and it was easy for us to let our defenders join the attack,'' the India coach said.

India's next rival Korea was left to rue the missed penalty stroke against Japan. After the Japanese forwards had almost toyed with the young Koreans and scored four times in the first 25 minutes, this key encounter of the league looked like another mismatch. By this time, Tomori Komori, Sachimi Iwao, Sakae Morimoto and Saito Naoko had scored in that order, with the second and fourth goals coming off penalty corners. But that was as far as Japan could get.

In the second session, the Koreans attacked with gusto and repeatedly tested the Japanese defence. A goal-line save by Japan's Rika Komazawa prevented the Koreans from opening their account early in the second session. Korea, which eventually forced 11 penalty corners, came close to scoring after it gained a penalty stroke. But Kim Eun Sil shot straight into the goal-keeper Rie Terazone.

Undeterred, the Koreans played aggressively and gradually pushed their rival on the defensive. In the 50th minute, Korea's fourth penalty corner saw Han Hye Lyoung score off a drag-flick. Three minutes from close, Oh Sun Soon scored through another penalty corner. In the closing seconds, Nam Jin A reduced Japan's victory margin to the minimum.

Earlier, China needed to score heavily against Malaysia in order to finish ahead of India in the race to top the pool. However, Malaysia made up for a fifth-minute deficit by equalising in the 40th minute. China broke away in 47th minute and scored four goals in five minutes.

Skipper Ma Yibo scored through a penalty corner and a penalty stroke to complete the scoreline. The earlier goals came from Chen Qui Qi (two), Li Aili, Gao Lihua and Huang Xuejiao. For Malaysia, Narul Nadia scored once again.

In an inconsequential match featuring the weakest teams of the competition, Singapore defeated Sri Lanka through a goal scored by Chen Hui Ling.

The results:

Pool `A': India bt Kazakhstan 8-0; China bt Malaysia 7-1.

Pool `B' : Japan bt Korea 4-3; Singapore bt Sri Lanka 1-0.

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