AAG: South Africa defeat India in women?s hockey
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| India |
October 24, 2003
Expressindia
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Hyderabad, October 24:Pietie Coetzee snuffed the life out of the Indians with a fine hat trick as the hosts suffered a 1-3 loss against South Africa in a pool A match in women's hockey event of the Afro-Asian games in Hyderabad on Friday.
Pietie's onslaught ensured a berth for South Africa in the semifinals where as India would now have to at least force a draw in their last match against Kazakhstan to be in the hunt for a place in the last four.
Earlier, Korea continued their winning streak Thrashingnigeria 6-0 at the Gachibowli stadium in a pool B match.
India, who won their opening match on Thursday Thrashingghana 8-0, looked totally out of sorts against South Africa particularly in the second half and wasted nine out of ten short corners they earned.
The two sides met on Friday after their last encounter in A league match of the commonwealth games in Manchester last year where India came back from 0-3 down to beat the South Africans 4-3.
But Pietie's two goals in the first half and a third seven minutes into the second session poured cold water on India's hopes of registering a win over their tactically superior opponents on Friday.
Though India raised hopes for a repeat of the Manchesteract when Suman Bala converted the sixth penalty corner in the 47th minute, they failed to capitalise on the goal mainly due to some poor finishing and ordinary conversion attempts.
"It was really a disappointing performance by the girls. We conceded two goals in the first half but in that 35 minutes India's performance was quite good. But it was indeed a poor show in the second," Chief coach M.K. Kaushik said afterwards.
He said that India could have won the match by utilizing the chances that came their way.
"Our penalty corner conversion was not up to international standards. South Africa played to their plans and emerged victorious," Kaushik said.
India will take on Kazakhstan and Korea will play Ghanaon on Sunday in their last league matches.
"We have to go all out and beat them. We don't have any other option," Kaushik said on the match against Kazakhstan.
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