New Delhi: In a remarkable display of resilience and tactical brilliance, the Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team continued its unbeaten run on the Europe tour by defeating Australia 2-1 in their fourth match. The win comes on the heels of three consecutive victories over hosts Belgium and firmly establishes India’s dominance on the tour.
The match against Australia was anticipated to be the most challenging of the tour. However, the Indian side proved their mettle once again, dispelling doubts that their previous wins were mere flukes. The victory is even more significant as it came on a day when both the senior Indian men’s and women’s teams lost to Australia by a 2-3 margin.
Australia took an early lead in the 5th minute through Josie Lawton, who converted a penalty corner. But India responded swiftly. Just three minutes later, Nandini leveled the score with a well-executed penalty corner of her own.
Before the first quarter ended, India gained the lead. Vice-captain Hina Bano made the most of another penalty corner in the 14th minute, bringing the score to 2-1 in India’s favor.
The remaining three quarters saw intense action, with both teams creating opportunities but failing to convert. India’s defense stood tall, repelling Australia’s attacks and maintaining their narrow lead till the final whistle.
This win marks India’s fourth consecutive victory on the tour. Earlier, they had defeated Belgium in three successive matches. The Indian Junior Women’s Team will now face the Netherlands on June 17 in their final match of the tour, aiming to end their campaign on a high and unbeaten note.
