India’s women’s hockey team kicked off their campaign in the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy with a resounding 4-0 victory against Malaysia, setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting tournament. The young striker Sangita Kumari shone on the field, scoring a stunning brace with goals in the 8th and 55th minutes, leading defending champions India to a powerful start on Monday. Complementing her efforts, Preethi Dubey struck in the 43rd minute, followed closely by Udita’s goal in the 44th minute, strengthening India’s lead.
The game began with Malaysia showing some promise, earning a penalty corner in the fifth minute, but they couldn’t convert. India seized control after that, relentlessly pressing Malaysia’s defense. Sangita opened the scoring with a slick penalty corner variation in the eighth minute, putting India ahead. Despite missed opportunities by Preethi, the Indian team maintained pressure and dominance.
After halftime, India continued to challenge Malaysia’s defense, earning another penalty corner early in the second half. Though they missed converting, their persistence paid off as Preethi and Udita scored within a minute of each other, taking the game firmly out of Malaysia’s reach. Malaysia’s attempts, including a second penalty corner, fell short against India’s resilient defense.
In other tournament matches, Japan and South Korea ended their face-off in a 2-2 draw, while China, the reigning Olympic silver medalists, overwhelmed Thailand with a staggering 15-0 victory.
India’s next match is set for Tuesday against South Korea, where the team will aim to build on their impressive start. With Sangita Kumari and the team showing early promise, fans can expect more thrilling performances as India continues its journey to defend their title.
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