7th Junior Women's Hockey World Cup: Fighting India lose 0-3 to Netherlands, face England in bronze medal play-off tie

Rani Rampal is one of the star players in the junior women’s hockey World Cup

It has been nothing short of a cinderella run for the Indian hockey eves at the 7th Junior Women’s Hockey World Cup in Monchengladbach.

But like they say, all good things have to come to an end, and the same was the case with the Blueskirts, who gave the defending champions Netherlands a run for their money before going down 0-3 in the second semifinal tie on Friday.

For a team which finished ninth at the last World Cup in Boston in 2009, it was a magnificent display by the Sushila Chanu-led side to reach the semifinals – their best-ever performance by a long way.

The Indian outfit, which featured as many as twelve players which played for the senior team in the Hockey World League Round 3 event in Rotterdam, will take a lot of heart from this effort.

India were undaunted by the reputation of the reigning champions who have looked really menacing in the tournament. Both teams played tight hockey confining the ball to the midfield for most part as clear scoring chances were few and far between.

The Dutch eves made the most of their first penalty corner to go up 1-0 in the 17th minute when Lieke van Wijk rattled the Indian cage.

It was Wijik’s 12th goal of the tournament – the top goal-scorer by a long way – she had earlier fired three hat-tricks against Ghana, USA and South Africa.

India were far from perturbed by the opening goal and made a determined effort to rebound. They forced their first short corner close to half-time, but could not profit from it as Netherlands held the lead at half-time.

India started the second half on a belligerent manner – they earned their second short corner in the 41st minute but that opportunity went abegging.

The Indian goalkeeper Chanu Sanarik Ningombamuch kept her side in the contestwhen she brilliantly thwarted a Dutch effort from their third penalty corner.

With thirteen minutes to go, it could have been anybody’s game but the Netherlands left nothing to chance doubling the lead through Lisanne de Lange in the57th minute.

India has a great opportunity to reduce the deficit but Rani Rampal’s effort was foiled by the Dutch shot stopper Anne Veenendaal.

Lisa Scheerlinck ensured it all over bar the shouting for India as she sounded the board off a counter-attack in the 68th minute.

It was a highly competitive game but the two late goals by the Netherlands would seem like it was a convincing win for them, which was never the case.

The Netherlands now face Argentina in the final, while India take on England in the bronze medal play-off game.