The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : India clinches title

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 06, 2007
ePaper

Sport

Sport - Hockey

India clinches title

K.P. Mohan

NEW DELHI: A 52nd-minute goal by Saba Anjum helped India beat Azerbaijan 1-0 and win the inaugural Lal Bahadur Shastri Cup women’s hockey tournament at the Shivaji Stadium here on Wednesday.

In an absorbing contest, played at a good pace almost throughout, the outcome remained in suspense till the very end with Azerbaijan putting everything into the attack in the last 10 minutes.

“They deserved to win,” said Azerbaijan coach Tahir Zaman. “India was lucky, too,” the former Pakistani Olympian quickly added.

A brilliant save by India goalkeeper Dipika Murthy, five minutes from the end, to deny Myung Soon Mammadova, proved decisive in the end.

“We wanted to play attacking hockey and we did,” said India’s Chief Coach G.S. Bhangu.

Having progressed into the final rather unspectacularly, with draws against Malaysia and Azerbaijan, India must have been under some pressure when it took the field on Wednesday, but eventually lived up to its higher world ranking in this four-nation tournament.

With Anjum, adjudged ‘player of the tournament’, and Mamta Kharab in full flow, the Indian attacks were almost relentless. Excellent support to them came from Saundarya Yendala, a newcomer, who was given more time on the field as a substitute, in the final match.

Everyone in the Indian team chipped in usefully, especially in the defence, though the left flank looked vulnerable against the speedy counter thrusts of Azerbaijan. The defensive centre half, Subhadra Pradhan, was content to hold herself back in her own half much of the time rather than venture upleaving the play-making to Kharab for the better part.

Kharab rose to the occasion splendidly. The first-half flurry by Kharab saw her put Pradhan through on the right only to see the latter hit out and then the Indian captain produced a cross that went screaming across the goalmouth with none in position to connect.

Italy beat Malaysia by an extra-time goal to take the third place. Julieta Obrist scored the winner in the fourth minute of extra time after the teams ended goalless in regulation period.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport