~ Giselle Ansley, Nicola White and Alexandra Danson score one each for Great Britain ~
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 9 August 2016: Indian's women hockey team went down 0-3 to Great Britain in their second group encounter at the Olympics on Monday.
The two teams played out a tactically smart, if goalless first period of hockey. Great Britain started off with a huge amount of possession, pushing India into the defence, reliant on the counter. India were better prepared for this sort of game plan though, and having learnt their lesson from slow start against Japan, defended stoutly. The two teams went into the break locked in a stalemate.
The lack of goals didn't do anything to the fans' sense of occasion. The two sets - the loudest in the hockey participants - were well prepared to trade chants and cheers through the game. With little to choose between the two sides in the period before half time, the biggest cheer was drawn by Vandana Katariya's brilliant dribble that left two Britain players in her wake, before she was muscled off it by a third for a Britain turn over.
But Great Britain got the breakthrough in the 25th minute. Their first PC converted by Giselle Ansley. They doubled that lead two minutes later, Nicola White the player who got the last contact after a brief scuffle in front of the goalmouth after a cross from the left sneaked past the defence. Great Britain went into halftime leading 2-0.
Great Britain came out strong in the second half, and scored their third goal via Alexandra Danson in the 33rd minute. India settled down soon enough though, defending deep looking to hold the score down and search for counters to create inroads into a comeback. The defensive work was soon to be tested though. Britain's first PC of the second half, was blocked by excellent charging from Namita Toppo and then the second a brilliant bit of anticipation by Sushila Chanu on the goalmouth, to deny them a fourth. There wouldn't be much more as they headed into a final break, Britain leading 3-0.
The two teams played out the final quarter in the same pattern. Britain held most of the possession, happy to pass the ball around the midfield, and even had a couple of PCs saved by Savita. India would come closest though, first via Monika, her shot testing Maddie Hinch in the goal, before being cleared away. Katariya would have a final chance, off a counter in the final seconds. Hinch would rush out though to make a sharp save and keep the clean sheet.
India next play Australia on August 10, 2016. The match will be broadcasted live on Star Sports, Star Sports HD and Doordarshan at 7:30 PM IST.
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