CWG 2014: Indian women destroy Trinidad & Tobago 14-0 in hockey

Glasgow: A dominant Indian women’s hockey team annihilated hapless Trinidad and Tobago by a whopping 14-0 margin in its third game of the 20th Commonwealth Games on Monday.

In a completely lop-sided match, India made mincemeat of the Africa nation as they smashed as many as nine goals in the first half itself, before pumping in five more after the breather. Trinidads’ leaky defense let them down as eight Indian players entered the score sheet at the Glasgow National Hockey Center.

Vandana Katariya (4th minute), Dipika Thakur (11th, 27th, 64th), Rani Rampaul (12th, 19th, 25th), Jaspreet Kaur (18th, 41st, 48th), Ritu Rani (22nd), Anuradha Thokchom (31st), Anupa Barla (53rd), Ritusha Arya (68th) scored for India.

India’s dominating display right from the start left the T&T players clueless as they created opportunities at will and toyed with their rival defence. Four minutes from the start, Vandana sounded the board after India earned its first penalty corner and seven minutes later, an on-rushing Dipika’s reverse hit found the T&T defence napping.

A minute later, Dipika fed Rani Rampaul inside the semi-circle and she sent it to the right of the post comfortably. From the 16th to 18th minute, India earned three successive penalty corners and Jaspreet converted the third. Soon Rampaul made it 5-0 with a hit from the left flank.

In the 22th minute, skipper Ritu deflected home a shot by Jaspreet from another set-piece while three minutes later, Rampaul brought up her hat-trick when her shot found a T&T stick and hovered over the goalkeeper to find the target.

In the 27th minute, Dipika sent one through the legs of the goalkeeper from the edge of the semicircle and then Anuradha got her name on the score sheet when she hit home after a missed chance by Jaspreet.

After the break, T&T played better hockey but Jaspreet still managed to bring up India’s 10th goal from another penalty corner. She brought up her hat-trick when she whipped one from the left to make it 11-0.

In the 53rd minute, Anupa scored with a diving shot on a counterattack, beating the goalkeeper while seven minutes later, Dipika brought up her hat-trick when she crushed one from the edge of the D.

With two minutes to go, Ritusha too found an opportunity to fetch her name on the scoreboard when she pushed a pass from near the goalmouth. The Indian women’s team will next play South Africa on July 30.

PTI