CWG 2018 Hockey as it happened: Indian women hammer Malaysia 4-1 to register first win
Gurjeet Kaur scored two and Rani Rampal and Lalremsiami for India
India bounced back after the unexpected reversal against Wales with a dominating performance against Malaysia.
They looked in total control through out the 60 minutes encounter and raised the bar in the final quarter to emerge 4-1 winners and pocket their first points in the Group stage.
Catch India’s entire schedule at day two of the Gold Coast Games here.
Its all over. India comfortably beat Malaysia 4-1 to register their first win in the tournament. The Rani Rampal-led side upped the ante in the fourth and final quarter to breeze home rather comfortably
GOAL 59th minute: India 4 Malaysia 1: Its a fantastic 1-2 between Lalremsiami and Vandana Katariya and the former taps the ball in for the fourth goal
58th minute: That was a fantastic chance for India to make it 4-1 but Lilima Minz cannot control the ball from the right.
Goal 55th minute: India 3 Malaysia 1 Neha makes a brilliant run from the right and release the ball in time for Rani Rampal to just tap in.
54th minute: India builds another attack from the right and Deepika’s hard hit inside the striking circle hit the leg of the defender for sixth penalty corner for India. The Malaysian runner Zain is hit on her leg and is down on the ground. India get another penalty corner.
53rd minute: Malaysia’s Norfaiezah Saiuti seems to have injured her ankle and will now be stretchered off. Slight stoppage in play.
50th minute: India gets a penalty corner for dangerous play by the Malaysian defender. Malaysia now has to play the last 10 minutes without a referral. India opt for an indirect variation but the Malaysian runners does well to take the ball.
Coach Harendra Singh tells the girls to control the game and try and slow things down as they were too fast and allowing the opponents to trouble them.
45th minute: The tempo was clearly raised in the third quarter. Nurarni Rashid equalised for Malaysia but the Indians earned back the lead within a minute. Its 2-1 and all to play for in the final 15 minutes.
GOAL 38th minute: India 2 Malaysia 1 India needs just a minute to regain their lead. Gurjit Kaur once again goes for the drag flick.
GOAL 37th minute: Nurani Rashid levels the score with a penalty corner conversion straight down the middle. India is paying the price for not killing the game with their mistakes.
37th minute: Malaysia have started to assert themselves now in the second half and have earned their second penalty corner of the match.
36th minute: Malaysia were awarded a penalty stroke after Gurjit Kaur brought down a striker. But India asks for a video referral for a foul that happened just a few seconds before. The video umpire confirms that the ball had earlier hit a Malaysian player’s foot and hence the decision is reversed.
34th minute: That was a brilliant counter from India and they almost got the second goal with Neha Goyal finding the net with a reverse hit. But the Malaysian’s ask for video referral and it is confirmed that the ball hit Poonam Rani’s foot before rolling over to Goyal.
32nd minute: Poonam Rani make a good run inside the striking circle from the right and passes the ball to Rani Rampal. But the skippers strike is easily deflected by the Malaysian goalkeeper.
It seems that the pitch has been over watered during the break. Malaysian goalkeeper was seen complaining before play resumed.
Half time: India takes a 1-0 lead into the break. Though India were by far the better side in the first half, coach Harendra Singh would be worried with the lack of real penetration inside the Malaysian striking circle. They will have to be more clinical in the second half to ensure that there are no late hiccups.
30th minute: India goes for a direct hit and it was very easy for the goalkeeper to just kick the ball out.
29th minute: India earns its fourth penalty corner and the first of this quarter. Can they make it 2-0?
27th minute: Yet another good move from the Indians down the right flank but the last ball inside the box from Rani Rampal wasn’t good enough to create a scoring chance
24th minute: Another booking for India. Gurjeet sent off for a hard tackle.
24th minute: A very good opportunity for India to double the lead. A move from the right and Rani Rampal takes a strong shot. But the Malaysian goalkeeper easily blocks it.
19th minute: Malaysia is beginning to take the fight to India. Had a good opportunity with a free hit at the top of India’s striking circle but they waste it.
15th minute: There hasn’t been much action in the 1st quarter. India looked to keep the ball and earned three penalty corners and converted one. But India has made quit a few fouls. That they will have to look out for that.
14th minute: Malaysia gets their first penalty corner after Lilima infringes a striker on the top of the striking circle. But the Indian goalkeeper has little trouble stopping the flat hit
12th minute: Deepika gets a green card for a tackle from behind. She will be out for 2 minutes now.
11th minute: Indian doing a good job of keeping the ball. Malaysia has till now managed just one run to the Indian striking circle.
GOAL. 6th minute: Gurjeet goes for a drag flick on the third penalty corner and it beats the goalkeeper. India 1 Malaysia 0
5th minute: Yet another penalty corner for India. The ball hits the leg of Malaysian defender. The goal is disallowed with the referee but India ask for video referral. The ball has hit the Malaysian defender and get another penalty corner
1st minute: Vandana Katariya wins India’s first penalty corner in the very first minute with a run from the left. But India wastes the opportunity.
We are underway with India starting the proceedings
Understandably India are practising their penalty corners during the warm up with coach Harendra Singh keeping a close eye on the proceedings.
Here is what went wrong for India against Wales and what they will have to change in the game against Malaysia.
India has gone into the Commonwealth Games with the confidence of returning with a medal. The opening match against Wales wasn’t the ideal start for Harendra Singh-coached team. But the players know that they just need to hit the strides against Malaysia to get their campaign back on track.