The Indian women’s hockey team emerged victorious by defeating the Commonwealth Games champions, England, with a score of 3-0 in their third match of the three-nation Torneo del Centenario 2023 in Terrassa, Spain on Saturday.
Lalremsiami (13′, 17′, and 56′) achieved a hat-trick for India.
This win marked the Indian women’s team’s first victory at the 100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation International Tournament 2023. Previously, India had drawn against England 1-1 on Wednesday and played a 2-2 draw against Spain on Thursday.
With this win, India secured the top position in the standings with five points from three matches, while England concluded their campaign with four points from four games. Hosts Spain stand second with four points and will face India on Sunday.
If India manages to draw against Spain in their fourth and final game of the 100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation International Tournament, they will claim the trophy.
The Indian hockey team, ranked 8th in the FIH women’s hockey rankings, started the match aggressively by attacking the England half with long balls. Meanwhile, the 6th ranked England focused on retaining possession.
India’s aggressive approach paid off in the 13th minute when Lalremsiami scored a field goal, granting her team the initial lead.
India maintained the momentum in the second quarter and further extended their advantage, with Lalremsiami scoring once again to make it 2-0 for India.
Reacting to the quick goals, the England women’s hockey team intensified their attacking efforts, but the Indian defense proved resilient. The second quarter ended with India maintaining a two-goal lead.
In the third quarter, India controlled possession and slowed down the game, while England displayed more urgency and attempted to utilize the flanks to make advances into the Indian half.
The England midfield created several opportunities in front of the goal, but their forwards were unable to convert them. Consequently, the third quarter concluded without any further goals.
In the fourth quarter, England pushed forward, eager to score a goal. However, it was India who delivered, with Lalremsiami intercepting a long ball in front of the goal and completing her hat-trick. This goal sealed India’s victory, marking the third goal of the match four minutes before the final whistle.