A tough opening contest awaits the Indian junior women’s hockey team in the Volvo Invitational under-21 tournament against hosts the Netherlands in Breda on Sunday.
After gaining good experience during its tour of New Zealand last year, where it drew three matches, lost two and won one, India seems confident of performing well on the big stage. After the match against the home team, the Indian side led by Rani Rampal will face Germany, England, New Zealand and China.
Rani said, “we are looking forward to performing to the best of our abilities in the match against the Netherlands and start the tournament well. With the world’s best teams participating, we will aim to get on the field with good tactics, and showcase the strength of our team. We have practised hard and hope to give a tough fight in all the games.”
India coach N.S. Saini added, “The tournament is crucial for the girls to boost their morale for the upcoming major tournaments and hence we will not only try to perform well, but also take the best lessons.”
The tournament will be held from July 19 to 26.
