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India bounced back in style to beat Germany 1-0 in their sixth Women's Hockey Pro League game in Bhubaneswar on Saturday (February 22).
Displaying early purposeful aggression, the Indians who went down 0-4 against the Germans on Friday, took the game to the opposition before being rewarded with a penalty corner goal scored by Deepika.
Harendra Singh's team kept their feet on the pedal throughout the contest while also cutting off a series of German forays to emerge victorious in the crucial encounter. The Indians who beat England in their season opener now have two wins from six games having lost three matches thus far in the Women's Hockey Pro League.
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Johanna Hachenberg won the Germans their first penalty corner in the seventh minute. Bichu Devi padded away the drag flick which was directed at the bottom left of the Indian goal
The Indians lost their referral in the 11th minute for querying if Hanna Granitzski had deliberately played the ball out of the baseline even when it appeared that such was indeed the case.
Nevertheless, the Indians won a penalty corner in the 12th minute. A powerful injection offset the German defence before Deepika beat Finja Starck with a scorcher of a drag flick much to the delight of the Indian camp.
Deepika's stupendous run beating four German players came to nought in the 22nd minute. With an unmarked Baljeet Kaur lurking at the post, Sharmila Devi chose to take a shot on goal herself after picking up on Deepika's pass but failed to beat Starck.
The Germans earned a penalty corner in the 25th minute. A diving Savita used her stick to stop Lena Micheel's drag flick.
Sophia Schwabe attempted to weave her way into the Indian circle in the 29th minute even as Janneke Schopman's team went into halftime trailing by a goal.
Navneet Kaur won India a penalty corner in the 31st minute. Deepika's well-directed drag flick was stopped on the line.
The Germans won a penalty corner for a stick tackle in the 38th minute. Stine Kurz's drag flick was run down before the Germans were penalized for obstruction during the course of the re-award.
The Germans won a couple of corners in the 46th minute followed by a third for dangerous play. Stine Kurz's flicks were well defended by Sunelita Toppo.
A magnificent double-save from Bichu Devi stopped a certain German goal in the 48th minute with Sophia Schwabe threatening from close range.
Manisha Chauhan did well to stop an onrushing Felicia Weidermann in the 49th minute.
The Germans took goalkeeper Nathalie Kubalski off in the 58th minute but failed to find an equaliser.
India to take on mighty Netherlands next in Women's Hockey Pro League
Harendra Singh's team will need to be at their very best when they take on Olympic and World Cup champions the Netherlands in the last two games of the home leg of the Women's Hockey Pro League.
Despite fielding a young and inexperienced side, the Dutch woman still outplayed England 5-1 in the first game in India before blanking the English 6-0 earlier today.
Former coach of the Indian side Sjoerd Marijne is now an assistant in the Dutch set-up.
The Netherlands are now second to China on the Women's Hockey Pro League points. India and Netherlands will be in action in the Women's Pro League on February 24 and 25.
