The Indian women's hockey team secured the bronze medal over New Zealand after beating them in a penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 fight in regulation time at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 in Birmingham on Sunday, August 7. Salima Tete scored for India in the second quarter, but the Whitesticks did well with Olivia Merry equalised.
In the penalty shoot-out, it was India who prevailed 2-1 in a closely fought encounter as the side secured their first medal in 16 years in women's hockey. '
Salima's goal gave India a 1-0 lead heading into the halftime break, which also promised that the teams and fans were in for an entertaining second half.
Neha Goyal almost doubled the lead after the break, but good defending by New Zealand prevented the Indians from consolidating their position.
New Zealand had to do a lot of defending and worked quite well on themselves to remain disciplined until that Tete's goal. Leading 1-0, India conceded a penalty corner with less than 30 seconds to go for the final hooter, as the match went into shoot-out after Olivia Merry's equaliser.
India though held their nerves in the shootout to emerge winners.
Big win for India
Coming off a heartbreaking loss to Australia in a controversial semifinal fixture, India showed the intent to wrap up their campaign with a win and earn a podium finish.
The Indians were done in by a horrendous timing faux pas in the shoot-out against Australia.
In the shootout on Sunday, India captain and goalkeeper Savita showed her class, pulling off three spectacular saves to give her side their third CWG medal.
After Megan Hull put New Zealand ahead, an agile Savita denied Rose Tynan, Katie Doar and Olivia Shanon, while Sonika and Navneet scored for India to register a famous win.
The Indians came out attacking and made plenty of circle penetrations but failed to break the solid New Zealand defence.
India gained the tempo as the match progressed and built their attacks using both the flanks.
But it was New Zealand who came close to taking the lead in the first quarter, in the form of a penalty corner which was well defended by the Indians.
Minutes later Sangita Kumari's shot on target was blocked by the Kiwi defence.
Seconds later Salima's shot zoomed across the right side of the New Zealand goal.
The Indians continued in the same vein in the second quarter and had the better share of ball possession, but they failed to break the resolute New Zealand defence.
In the 26th minute, New Zealand came tantalisingly close to taking the lead from a counterattack.
India finally broke the New Zealand defence a minute from halftime through Salima, who scored off a rebound with a reverse hit after Navneet Kaur's initial shot was saved by the opposition goalie.
Minutes later, excellent work by Navneet and Neha Goyal set it up for Sonika, who just had to get her stick on the ball, but failed.
Merry seemed to have equalised for New Zealand in the 43rd minute against the run of play, but the goal was disallowed after India went for the referral, claiming that the free hit wasn't taken from the 5m line.
India got three penalty corners in succession in the 52nd minute but Gurjit Kaur failed to get past New Zealand custodian Grace O'Hanlon.
The Indians lived dangerously in the fag end of the match and with two-and-half minutes remaining, Lalremisiami got an unnecessary yellow card, reducing her side to 10 players.
The Kiwis took advantage of that and secured a penalty corner with seconds from the hooter, which resulted in a penalty stroke, as Navneet deliberately kicked the goal-bound ball.
Merry stepped up and foxed Savita to draw level and take the match into a shoot-out.
