The Indian junior women’s hockey team clinched a hard-fought 2-0 win in the shootout against hosts Argentina after a 1-1 draw in regulation time in their third match of the Four Nations Tournament in Rosario, Argentina.
Kanika (44 minutes) scored India’s lone goal during regulation time, while Lalrinpuii and Lalthantluangi netted in the shootout to secure the victory.
Argentina got off to a strong start, with Milagros Del Valle (10 minutes) giving the home side the lead in the first quarter.
India responded in the third quarter when Kanika found the equaliser in the 44th minute to bring her side back into the contest.
With no further goals, the match was tied 1-all at full time and went to a penalty shootout. Goalkeeper and captain Nidhi proved to be the difference, pulling off four consecutive saves to shut out the hosts. Lalrinpuii and Lalthantluangi converted their chances to hand India a well-earned win.
This was Indian team’s third win from as many matches. India will look to continue their strong showing as they head into the next fixture against Chile on May 30 (as per IST).
Scheduled between May 25 and June 2, the tournament will feature four countries – Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and India.
India will play two matches against each of the participating nations to evaluate its performance, assess team combinations, and refine its strategies as part of its preparation for the Junior World Cup in December.
