On Sunday, Savita Punia played a significant part in India’s 3-0 shootout win against Germany in their FIH Pro League 2021-22 women’s hockey match at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. After Felicia Weidermann (29′) had placed the visitors ahead, Nisha (40′) equalized for India.
Then, with Salima Tete, Sangita Kumari, and Sonika reaching the back of the net, India captain and goalie Savita Punia blocked all three German shootout efforts, as India made apologies for the previous match’s failures. On Saturday, India was defeated in a shootout by Germany.
India received two points from the match, including the shootout bonus, and Germany received one.
According to FIH Pro League rules, if the scores are tied at the completion of the regulation period (four quarters), the game is declared a draw, and both teams receive one point. After that, there is a shootout, with the winner receiving an extra bonus point.
With 12 points from six games after Sunday’s win, India moved up to second place in the FIH Pro League 2021-22 rankings. With 12 points from four games, the Netherlands is in first place.
The Indian side, coached by Janneke Schopman, got off to a fast start, scoring their first goal after only 15 seconds. Throughout the first quarter, India continued to assault, but the German defense stood fast, keeping the score at 0-0.
Towards the close of the first session, India’s continuous intrusions resulted in the first penalty corner. Mali Wichmann made a full stretch save to stop Monika’s blistering effort, bringing the first quarter to a close with no goals.
No. 9 in the world In the second quarter, India, which is ranked four places below Germany in the hockey rankings, maintained its momentum, routinely reaching the final third, particularly from the right flank. In the meanwhile, Germany had its chances, and one of them resulted in a penalty stroke for a reckless tackle on Paulina Heinz. Jette Fleschutz, on the other hand, was only able to hit the post.
In the 37th minute, Germany won back-to-back penalty corners, the second of which they converted.
Carlotta Sippel’s wide flick was deflected in by Felicia Weidermann, and the clinical penalty corner began with the less popular sprinting injection. At the halftime break, Germany led 1-0. In the third quarter, Savita Punia and her teammates increased their performance. A scramble in the German circle almost handed India the equalizer, but the German goalie denied Navneet Kaur.
After a tussle at the goal line, India’s tenacity paid off in the 40th minute as Nisha skillfully guided the ball in.
For the duration of the last session, the hosts continued to put the German defense to the test, and the game ended 1-1.
In the final session, Gurjit Kaur missed a penalty corner with a clean shot to the goalkeeper’s leg guard. Germany squandered a PC a minute later, aiming wide to the right. India’s finest chance came in the 57th minute, but Sharmila Devi missed to convert an open goal. Savita Punia forced the shootout after saving two penalty corners in the last seconds.
On April 2, India will play England.
