The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : India rallies to defeat Italy

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Monday, Dec 03, 2007
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India rallies to defeat Italy

K.P. Mohan

— Photo: V. Sudershan

FIGHT FOR POSSESSION: Italy’s Julieta Obrist (centre) tries to get past India’s Binita Toppo (left) and Gagandeep Kaur.

NEW DELHI: Shedding its defensive pattern in an exciting spell of attacking hockey in the second half, India came back from a one-goal deficit to defeat Italy 2-1 and stay in the race for a place in the final of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Gold Cup four-nation women’s tournament at the Shivaji Stadium here on Sunday.

“We are trying out different formations and different sets of players in our preparation for the Olympic qualifier. We played 3-3-3-1 in the first half, but we had to put everything in attack in the second after being a goal down and went for the 4-4-2 formation and that paid dividends,” chief coach, G.S. Bhangu, said.

The coach was not too happy with the overall display, though, and said the team needed to improve further. The way the team played in the first half, though the attacks were sharper than in the disappointing draw against Malaysia in the opener, it did not look as though they would bounce back after being in arrears.

Italy’s 28th-minute goal, through a penalty corner conversion by Valentina Quranta, came much against the run of play, but at least for a spell late in the first half the Italians did look more threatening inside the circle than the Indians with their better trapping and quicker release.

Change in trend

The trend changed immediately after the break with the Indian forwards showing a rare combination and creating room for themselves through some speedy thrusts down the flanks.

A Ritu Rani-Saba Anjum foray through the right put Mamta Kharab in with a great chance, but the Indian skipper failed to beat goalkeeper Paula Calvo who was quickly into action four minutes later to baulk Anuradha Devi.

The pace of the Indian attacks, with some quick passing bouts among Anjum, Kharab and Rani, proved too much eventually for the Italian defence, superbly marshalled by central defender Carolina Scandroli. Though the defence did not crack completely to let in field goals it fumbled to concede penalty corners in quick succession for India to go into the lead.

Off the second penalty corner in the 48th minute, Anjum got a deflection right after Subhadra Pradhan relayed the ball back into the circle while Suman Bala, adjudged ‘player of the match,’ scored in the 53rd minute.

Earlier, Azerbaijan booked its place in the final with its second win on the trot, outclassing Malaysia 4-1.

A hat-trick by Mi Kyong Aliyeva featured the Azerbaijan victory with Zhun Mammadova scoring the fourth goal. Malaysia took the lead in the seventh minute through skipper Norfarah Hashim off a penalty corner.

Monday will be a rest day.

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