Indian women’s hockey team on Sunday won the FIH Women’s Series Finals after defeating the tournament hosts Japan 3-1 at the Hiroshima Hockey Stadium. This victory comes a day after it qualified for the FIH Olympic Qualifiers.
Skipper Rani Rampal, the best player of the tournament, netted a goal in the third minute but India conceded an equalizer in the 11th minute as Japan’s Kanon Mori scored. However, a brace from Gurjit Kaur, the top scorer of the tournament, scored in the 45th and 60th minutes took India to an emphatic victory.
All the action 📸 from the Final between 🇮🇳 and 🇯🇵 on 23rd June 2019.
Check out our Facebook Page for more images!
PC: @FIH_Hockey#IndiaKaGame #FIHSeriesFinals #RoadToTokyo #INDvJPN pic.twitter.com/KeiwcGPrhc
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) June 23, 2019
Congratulating to the women’s team for their victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Twitter, “Exceptional game, excellent outcome! Congratulations to our team for winning the Women’s FIH Series Finals hockey tournament. This stupendous victory will further popularise hockey and also inspire many young girls to excel in the sport.”
Exceptional game, excellent outcome!
Congratulations to our team for winning the Women’s FIH Series Finals hockey tournament.
This stupendous victory will further popularise hockey and also inspire many young girls to excel in the sport.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 23, 2019
ALSO READ: ICC World Cup 2019: Virat Kohli fined 25 per cent of match fee for ‘excessive appealing’
With just five minutes remaining in the match, Japan decided to take off their goalkeeper for an extra outfield player, and that helped them in creating some opportunities.
However, it also worked against them in the last minute of the match as Gurjit scored her second goal of the match through a penalty corner to make it 3-1 and wrap up the victory for India.