Women's Asian Champions Trophy: Team India top tally

The Indian women's hockey team defeated China 2-1 in an entertaining match, registering a hat-trick of victories in the Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2023 on Monday.

Deepika (15') and Salima Tete (26') put India up in the first half before China's Zhong Jiaqi (41') pulled one back in the third quarter.

With this victory, the Indian women's hockey team preserved their unblemished record at the Asian Champions Trophy in Jharkhand, winning three of three matches.

The opening quarter was a tense affair, with world No. 7 India and China, ranked 10th in the world, matching each other in practically every element of the game.

However, in the final minutes of the quarter, the hosts upped the ante, and Sangita Kumari, the tournament's leading scorer with four goals, assisted India in winning a penalty stroke after a goalmouth scramble. Deepika scored India's first goal with a low shot to the right of the custodian.

China, the 2023 Asian Games champions, attempted to square the score in the second quarter and put pressure on the Indian team. Nonetheless, Salima Tete's tremendous tomahawk from the centre of the circle extended India's lead in the 26th minute.

China ultimately equalised in the 41st minute with a penalty corner. The ball was injected into the first battery before reaching Zhong Jiaqi, who converted nicely.

In the fourth quarter, India invested significant resources on defence. However, Vandana Katariya received a yellow card for a stick tackle, reducing India to 10 women for the final seven minutes.

China gambled by substituting a field player for their custodian in order to capitalise. However, the gamble did not pay off, as the Indian defence held tough under pressure to secure a 2-1 victory.

(ANI)