CHENNAI: The junior women’s hockey team was three minutes away from winning a bronze medal but eventually lost the shoot-out to finish fourth at the World Cup in Potchefstroom, South Africa on Tuesday.
Forward Mumtaz Khan, who caught the eye with her off-the-ball movement as well as finishing skills equalised once before putting India in front but England, after missing two penalty corners in the final quarter, levelled via Claudia Swann in the 57th minute.
In the subsequent shootout, India, hoping to win a bronze for only the second time in this competition (after the batch of 2013), failed to sound the board even once. England, for their part, had no problems in scoring past Bichu Kharibam to win 3-0. India will rue the missed conversions as they had the better overall numbers in all aspects (penalty corners, circle penetrations and shots on goal).
Bichu, who had an outstanding tournament, made an uncharacteristic error to allow England to take the lead in the 17th minute before Mumtaz’s smart stick work three minutes later restored parity. A minute into the fourth quarter, she found the roof of the net from close range but a last-ditch England attack took the match to penalties where they made India pay.
Final: Netherlands 3-1 Germany
06 No of field goals scored by Mumtaz, the 2nd highest
Shootout
India England
Salima Tete Maddie Axford
Sangita Kumari Claudia Swann
Sharmila Devi Katie Curtis