Vandana Katariya struck four times to extend her reign at the top of the scorer's list and put India in the semifinals of the Hero women’s Hockey World League Round 2 with a 10-0 victory over Singapore at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Thursday.
Poonam Rani began the goalfest in the fourth minute, taking advantage of a poor clearance during India’s first penalty corner. Two minutes later, Navjot Kaur deflected Rani’s backhand shot from the right to double the lead.
Vandana scored the first of her four goals in the 17th minute, a powerful shot on the left from the top of the ‘D’ that bisected the Singapore defence.
ADVERTISEMENT
Her remaining goals – two of them in successive minutes towards the end – were scored in similar fashion as India toyed with the World No. 43 side. Vandana has now 10 goals in the competition. Anupa Barla, Jaspreet Kaur, Rani and Deepika were the other scorers.
Giving no space to the opposition, the host attacked from the flanks to penetrate the Singapore striking circle even as the visitor struggled to hold on to the ball.
However, Singapore managed to earn a penalty corner in the 23rd minute, on one of the rare counter-attacks it managed, but squandered it. India will play Thailand in the semifinals.
ADVERTISEMENT
Thailand, the lowest-ranked side in the competition, upset Kazakhstan 4-3 with a combination of short passes and accurate finishing. In the other semifinal, Malaysia will take on Poland, defeating Ghana 2-0 in the quarterfinals.
Poland upset Russia 3-0 in the final last-eight match to book a semifinal spot.
The results (quarterfinals): India 10 (Vandana Katariya 4, Poonam Rani, Navjot Kaur, Anupa Barla, Rani, Jaspreet Kaur, Deepika) bt Singapore 0; Malaysia 2 (Norazlin Sumantri, Hanis Onn) bt Ghana 0; Thailand 4 (Boonta Duangurai, Kanyanut Nakpolkrung, Tikhamporn Sakunpithak, Sirikwan Wongkeaw) bt Kazakhstan 3 (Natalya Sazontova, Vera Domashneva, Irina Dobrioglo); Poland 4 (Oriana Walasek, Natalia Wisniewska, Marlena Rybacha, Weronika Wessolowska) bt Russia 2 (Marina Fedorova, Kristina Shumilina).
Semifinal line-up: Malaysia vs Poland, India vs Thailand.