Picture Credit: Twitter
On October 7, Saturday, the Indian women’s hockey team defeated the former champions Japan with a margin of 2-1, to secure the bronze medal at the Asian Games 2023. At the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Stadium in Hangzhou, Sushila Chanu got the winning goal for India in the 50th minute, to make sure that the women’s team clinched their seventh medal at the Asiad for the country in hockey.
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The rematch of the Asian Games 2018 final in Jakarta-Palembang saw India find the back of the net in the 5th minute, with a penalty stroke conversion from Deepika. The Indian women’s hockey team were about to go into the half time break with their lead intact, but the captain Yuri Nagai managed to put Japan on level terms in the 30th minute off the penalty corner.
In the second half, both India and Japan played some scintillating hockey with an aim to take the decisive lead in the bronze medal match at the Asian Games 2023. But, the difference maker proved to be the senior pro of the Indian women’s team, Sushila Chanu, who got the second goal for the country in the 50th minute off the penalty corner to give India the 2-1 lead.
This was the second medal for Team India in the hockey competition at the Asiad in Hangzhou, after the Men in Blue brought home the gold medal on October 6, Friday. While the Indian men’s team achieve their objective to qualify for the Olympics next year, the Women in Blue will have to go through the FIH Qualifiers to make their way to Paris 2023.
