Tokyo: Striker Vandana Katariya scored a historic hat-trick to keep the quarter-finals of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team hoping at the Olympics with a 4-3 4-3 battle victory above South Africa which was ranked lower in the final group of Win-Win here on Saturday.
Vandana (4, 17, 49 minutes) achieved rare achievements by becoming the first Indian women’s hockey player to score a hat-trick in the history of the Olympics.
Young Neha Goyal (32) is another getter goal as the side of LED Rani rampal registered the second consecutive victory at the Olympics.
Victory to remember, a day to appreciate! ? GlimSome from our game against South Africa.
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https://t.co/wkw1ozzvdn- Indian hockey (@TheHoKeyIndia) 1627710686000South Goals came from Tarryn Glasby (15) sticks, captain Erin Hunter (39th) and Marizen Marais (to -39).
With two wins from their last two pond matches, India has completed the group stage with six points from five matches.
Based on this victory, India has jumped to fourth place in Pond A, but Ireland still has the opportunity to jump over Indians.
The fate of India now depends on the results of the last pool of the match between the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Indians must wait until night to know their fate.
Irish losses or draw results will be enough for India to seal their place in the quarter-finals.
The top four teams from each pool will be eligible for KO round.
Some pictures again from our game against South Africa.
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https://t.co/qqhu3222Rah- Hockey India (@TheHOneDeyIndia) 1627710690000Needing victory to stay alive in competition, Indian people means South African defense from the start.
By doing it, India secured two corners of the penalty in the first two minutes of the match but the poor execution of Dragflicker Gurjit Kaur continued in the tournament.
It still never takes a long time to open their account and in the fourth minute, Vandana gave him the advantage, knocked at close range after being founded by a great Navneet Kaur from the right side.
India continues to press and penetrate the circle of South Africa many times without much success.
But the seconds from the end of the first quarter, the concentration hose from the cost of India’s defense was expensive because South Africa drew level through Tarryn Glasby, which was deflected in a long shot from Taryn Mallett.
India had enough time to regain their advantages through a penalty corner but wasted the opportunity.
Two minutes to the second quarter, Vandana restored India’s advantage when he was deflected by Grace Ekka’s larvae from their fourth penalty corner.
Indians have three opportunities to expand their superiority in the second quarter but they cannot do it.
The side of the LED Rani rampal got two corners of the penalty that they were in vain, and then, the efforts of Goyal Neha from open drama were saved by the South African goalkeeper.
Just as in the first quarter, India gave a few seconds from half a second when Hunter found a net from the first corner of his team’s penalty.
Two minutes after the end of the end, Neha restored its superiority again, turning Rani hit from the point of penalty when Indians executed good variations.
The fragile Indian defense withered under pressure once again, when South Africa drew a level for the third time in a match, through a Marais attack.
South Africa enjoyed a good game in the early minutes of the last quarter and, in the process, securing three penalties quickly, but this time the Indian defense was enough to thwart the danger.
In the 49th minute, Vandana was brilliant saved a day for India when he was deflected in the Gurjit Kaur film from another penalty.
After that, Indians fell back and seemed to compete to maintain ownership because South Africa pressed hard.
Two minutes from the last Hooter, Indians managed to refer to the decision of the penalty angle given to them.