Indian women on Tuesday faced humiliating defeat as the rampaging Australia beat them 1-6 in their third fixture at the Rio Olympics Hockey.
Australians exposed the defensive frailties of their opponents with a comprehensive win in a lop-sided match.
The Indians, who were playing in the Olympics after a gap of 36 years, were simply no match against their higher-ranked opponents.
Jodie Kenny struck twice (43rd and 46th minute) while Kathryn Slattery (5th), Georgina Morgan (9th), Jane Claxton (35th), Georgina Parker (36th) scored once each to route the Indians.
India saved the face as Thokchom Anuradha scored the lone goal with just 8.3 seconds left on the clock.
The Australians, who were the 2014 World Cup losing finalists, laid seize of the Indian 25-yard with waves of attacking runs and forced seven penalty corners from which they scored four times.
India, on the other hand, got just one penalty corner which they failed to convert. They could barely string a goal-bound attack in the whole match as they suffered their second consecutive match.
The Indian forwards could not make any opening and Rani Rampal was fielded for very less time. The margin of loss would have been bigger for India had goalkeeper Savita Punia not come up with some fine saves in the match.
With today’s loss, India are at the bottom of Pool B with just one point which they earned from the drawn match against Japan in their opening match. They had lost to Great Britain 0-3 in their previous match.
India have two matches to play in the six-team Pool B — against higher ranked Argentina and United States. Only the top four finishers will advance to the quarterfinals.
Australia took a 2-0 lead at the end of the first quarter of 15 minutes before the Indians denied them any goal in the second quarter. They scored three goals in the third quarter before pumping in another one in the final quarter to win the one-sided match.
