In their second match of the Four Nations Tournament, which took place on Monday, the Indian junior women's hockey team defeated Uruguay by a score of 3-2. This victory was a hard-fought victory that sustained their winning streak in the tournament.
Kanika Siwach, a striker, was the driving force behind India's victory, which came about as a result of her clinical brace in the second half. This came after the first three quarters of the match proved to be a heated encounter.
India faced a spirited Uruguayan team that grabbed the early initiative in their tournament match, following their 2-1 victory against Chile in the tournament's opening match. Milagros Seigal gave Uruguay a great start by converting a penalty corner in just the third minute of the game. This stunned the Indian defense and was the decisive moment that put Uruguay ahead.
Sonam scored a goal for India in the 21st minute of the second quarter following a penalty corner kick. This goal brought the score to a tie between the two teams. Despite this, the parity did not last for very long. Agustina Mari scored the goal that placed Uruguay back in front of the game just three minutes later. The goal was scored from another penalty corner that was performed very effectively, demonstrating the South American team's skill with set-pieces.
In spite of being behind by a score of 2-1 at the halftime point, the Indian team shown resiliency and tactical discipline in the third quarter, which allowed them to maintain the same scoreline and set the stage for a tight final session.
In the fourth quarter, the decisive moment occurred, and Kanika Siwach was the one who stepped up to the challenge successfully. She scored a goal from a penalty corner kick in the 46th minute, bringing India to a tie at 2-2. After another four minutes, Siwach scored another goal, this time from open play, to give India a critical lead of 3-2. Not only did her brace illustrate her attacking skill, but it also demonstrated India's poise in the face of overwhelming competitive pressure.
In the last minutes of the match, India maintained their composure to prevent Uruguay from attempting a comeback, so securing their second consecutive victory in the tournament.
As part of their preparation for the FIH Junior Women's World Cup, which is slated to take place in December 2025, India, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay are all participating in the Four Nations Tournament, which is being held in Rosario from May 25th to June 2nd.
On Wednesday, India will play Argentina, the hosts of the tournament, in a match that is anticipated to be the most difficult task they have faced so far in the competition.
Match Summary:
India 3 (Sonam at 21 minutes, Kanika Siwach at 46 minutes, and Kanika Siwach at 50 minutes)
2-0 Uruguay (Milagros Seigal in the third minute, Agustina Mari in the twenty-fourth minute)
Upcoming Fixture:
Argentines and India will face off on Wednesday, May 28 (IST).
