In the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games to be played in Birmingham, the Indian women's hockey team defeated the USA in their first encounter of the FIH Pro League double-header here on Tuesday. India who was a goal down initially backed themselves and secured a 4-2 victory. USA's Danielle Grega gave her team a lead in the 28th minute through a field effort before the Indians forced their way back into the match by scoring through Deep Grace Ekka (31st), Navneet Kaur (32nd), and Sonika (40th) to take a 3-1 lead.
The Indian team started very firmly, but despite all their efforts USA secured the first points in the form of a penalty corner in the 10th minute but squandered it. On the flip side, the Indians had their first chance at the goal but Gurjit Kaur's effort from a penalty corner missed the target. As the Americans adopted a stern way of playing, they secured back-to-back penalty corners but wasted them both consecutively. Team India's Vandana made two consecutive efforts in the 27th minute but USA made sure that they defended it and maintained a lead in the game. The Indians got an ample amount of chances in the form of penalty corners but they kept on wasting them.
Team USA did their best to break the deadlock through Grega who made sure that she steers the ball into the goal from Erin Matson's lofted pass from midfield, past Indian goalkeeper Bichu Devi Kharibam. India brought their A-game to the table as Navneet stunned the Americans with a brilliant field goal from Vandana's pass after a fine build-up from the right flank. The US team was extremely quick to reduce the margin in the 45th minute of the conversion of Natalie Konerth's penalty corner which turned the game in India's favor, courtesy of a field goal in the 50th minute.
India and USA are once again set to lock horns in the second match of the tie on Wednesday.
(Inputs from PTI)
