Hangzhou [China]: The Indian women's hockey team started their Asian Games 2023 campaign with a commanding 13-0 win over Singapore in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
Udita (6’), Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam (8’), Deepika (11’), Navneet (14’, 14’), Deep Grace Ekka (17’), Neha (19’), Sangita Kumari (23’, 47’, 53’), Salima Tete (35’), Vandana Katariya (56’) and Monika (52’) scored in India’s thumping win over Singapore.
The women's hockey team from India climbed to the top of Pool A with the victory. For each Pool, the top two teams will advance to the semi-finals.
The seventh-ranked Indian women's hockey team came out strong against 34th-ranked Singapore. India was given a penalty corner five minutes into the game after Udita drag-flashed it past the Singapore custodian to give her team the lead.
Before Singapore could recover from the initial blow, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam and Deepika scored two more goals for India in rapid succession. Navneet Kaur scored twice in the last seconds of the first quarter to increase India's lead to 5-0.
In the second quarter, Deep Grace Ekka and Neha added two more goals to the total. Sangita scored India's eighth goal of the game, At the midway point, India was up 8-0.
In the final two quarters, Salima Tete, Sangita Kumari, Vandana Katariya, and Monika combined for five goals, giving India a commanding victory. Sangita Kumari scored a hat-trick to finish.
The Indian women’s hockey team will play Malaysia next at the Asian Games 2023 on Friday.
The Indian women’s team has regularly featured at the Asian Games since the 1982 edition, where they won the gold medal. India finished with a silver medal at the last Jakarta Asian Games 2018.
—ANI