'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
India held England to a 2-2 draw in a pulsating Women's Hockey Pro League encounter at the Kalinga Stadium on Sunday (February 16) before losing the shootout 1-2.
An engaging contest failed to produce any goals in the opening half before England took the lead off a penalty corner rebound in the third quarter. Navneet Kaur converted a penalty stroke for the Indians in the final quarter. The visitors regained the lead off a penalty corner yet again before debutant Rutuja Pisal scored from open play to force a shootout.
The Indians who had beaten England 3-2 in their opening match of the Women's Hockey Pro League on Saturday went down fighting in the shootout that followed.
Trending
A furious midfield battle witnessed both teams failing to penetrate the attacking circle until Sophie Hamilton made a brief entry into the danger zone but was stopped by Lalremsiami in the 5th minute.
The visitors continued to dominate proceedings with Maddle Axford manufacturing a penalty corner in the 8th minute. Grace Balsdon's drag flick which lacked power was stopped by Savita Punia.
A second penalty corner came England's way soon after but Olivia Hamilton's slap shot was above the back-board and did not count despite making its way into the goal.
Miriam Pritchard was forced to leave her post to thwart an effort from Mumtaz Khan in the 19th minute before the England goalkeeper pulled off a second save to stop a shot from Navneet Kaur.
Lalremsiami broke too early and was sent off with the Indians having to defend a penalty corner with one runner less in the 40th minute.
Paige Gillott beat Savita with her outstretched stick, deflecting Olivia Hamilton's drag flick into the roof of the net to break the deadlock. Lalremsiami slipped at the goalmouth at the other end with only Pritchard to beat in goal in the 43rd minute.
The Indians won a penalty corner for a stick tackle in the 53rd minute. Navneet Kaur made no mistake from the spot to restore parity much to the delight of coach Harendra Singh.
Tessa Howard shot her team back into the lead even as the ball struck the hand with which she was holding the stick to score off a penalty corner deflection in the 56th minute.
Rutuja Dadaso Pisal scored a brilliant diving goal from open play to level things up for the Indians for the second time a minute later.
England edged India 2-1 in the shootout that followed with both Savita and Pritchard pulling off a series of saves.
The hosts will play Spain next in the Women's Hockey Pro League on February 18 and 19.
Former coach Sjoerd Marijne returns to India for Women's Hockey Pro League in a new role with Dutch side
Sjoerd Marijne who coached both the Indian men's and women's teams in the past has returned to India for the Women's Hockey Pro League.
Marijne who guided the Indian girls all the way to a historic fourth-place finish in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics had discontinued his stint after the Games.
The Dutchman has now been appointed as Assistant Coach of the Netherlands women's team which won gold in both the 2022 Women's Hockey World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Netherlands have won four of the five editions of the Women's Hockey Pro League thus far, losing to Argentina in the finals of the 2021-22 season.
