Indian Women’s Hockey Team win silver: Asian Games 2018
A gold medal in hockey at the Asian Games 2018 was a dream for the country. However, the dream remained unfulfilled. For over thirty years and now still counting, the dream of achieving gold is still unachieved.
The women’s hockey team had to endure a heartbreak. Their condition was not as melancholic as the men’s hockey team. But still, their dreams to win a gold medal were shattered. They lost to Japan 1-2 in the finals. This was despite them being the favourites for the gold medal. But it was still an elevation from the 2014 Asian Games bronze medal. The men’s team will battle against Pakistan on Saturday to win a bronze medal.
India has been holding a steady eighth position. The medal tally consists of a total of 65 medals. This is the same as in the year 2010. That was the country’s best show so far in the Asian Games. The medal count includes 13 gold, 23 silver and 29 bronze medals.
The Japanese team matched the Indian team stick for stick. They took the lead in the 11th minute. This was when Minami Shimizu converted their first penalty corner.
The Indian team did not give up and fought hard. The equalizer came in the 25th minute. Neha Goyal deflected in a Navneet Kaur reverse hit pass. Both teams went into the half-time with a deadlock of 1-1.
The Japanese team, however, came back with full force. They claimed the lead again in the 44th minute. This came through skipper Motomi Kawamura’s penalty conversion.
In the few final minutes, the Indian team pressed hard against the Japanese. But the Japanese team defended relentlessly and used numbers to their advantage. By playing a defensive game, the Japanese team maintained their one-point lead. They walked away with the finals and the gold medal.
Though it was a loss for India at the Asian Games 2018, a steady improvement can be observed. This gives birth to new hope for the gold medal in the games to come.
