Semis berth on women's mind

PTI

Kakamigahara, June 7

Unbeaten India would look to seal their semifinals berth when they face Chinese Taipei in their final pool match of the Women’s Junior Asia Cup hockey tournament here tomorrow.

India blanked Uzbekistan 22-0 and then registered a hard-fought 2-1 win over Malaysia before salvaging a point with a fighting 2-2 draw against South Korea on Tuesday. India are currently atop Pool A with seven points from three games and a draw against Chinese Taipei would be enough to seal a last-four berth.

Mumtaz Khan and Deepika have been brilliant for India, while Deepika Soreng too has sparkled. Deepika’s form can be ascertained from the fact that she has scored in every single game of the tournament so far.

But going into the business end of the tournament, India cannot afford a slip-up.

“The tournament so far has been good for us as we are yet to lose a game. The matches against Malaysia and South Korea were closely-fought, but it gave us a chance to prove our mettle as we bounced back in both games after conceding first,” India captain Preeti said. “We consistently keep our plans in focus, ensuring that we remain steadfast against any opposition.”

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