Tokyo: The history-making Indian women’s hockey team’s dream of securing its maiden Olympic medal remained unfulfilled as it lost 3-4 to Great Britain in a hard-fought bronze play-off match at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Friday.
The Indian women had already created history and surpassed all expectations by entering the semifinals of the Games for the first time.
India women dropped to their knees in heartbreak as the buzzer went off as they put relentless pressure on Great Britain in the final quarter. India were reeling 0-2 down after conceding early in the 2nd quarter but Sjoerd Marijne’s women showed their class, scoring as many as 3 goals in 6 minutes to go into the half-time with a 3-2 lead. But after conceding an early goal in the 4th quarter, India were unable to find the equaliser to force a shoot-off.
Goalkeeper Savita Punia, famously being called as Save-ita, was inconsolable as she poured her emotions out after India missed the bronze medal by a whisker.
A brace from India’s star drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur and a goal from Vandana Katariya weren’t enough as India lost the Bronze Medal match to Great Britain. Savita Punia was brilliant once again but it was heartbreak for the girls from India.
The men’s team rewrote history on Thursday as it claimed an Olympic medal after 41 years, defeating Germany 5-4 to win the bronze in an edge-of-the-seat play-off match.
And having already recorded their best-ever Olympic performance, the Indian women looked to double the nation’s joy on.
At the group stage India was thrashed 1-4 by Great Britain, who were the defending champions.
The Indian women’s hockey team wasted several chances in that match and could have made a closer match of it had they showed better finishing skills.
The difference between the two teams was that India had the better share of chances but Great Britain utilised more opportunities that came their way.
India secured as many as eight penalty corners in the match but converted just one. Great Britain too didn’t have great success rate from set pieces as they found the net just once from the six they earned.
The Indians would take a lot of confidence from their spirited performance against world no.2 Argentina in the semifinals even though they lost match 1-2.