As Sangita hits hat-trick & Thailand score 1st-ever goal vs hosts
RANCHI: Ranjeet Manjhi would have been the happiest father in the world on Friday. He struggled to make ends meet but not once did he stop supporting her daughter Sangita Kumari from pursuing her dreams.
And on Friday, she showed what dreams are made of as Sangita scored a brilliant hat-trick to help India thrash Thailand in their opening encounter of Women's Asian Champions Trophy at Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in front of a passionate crowd here on Friday.
Playing an international tournament for the first time in the city, Savita & Co gave the hockey lovers of the state a lot to cheer about as they won the game 7-1. Besides Sangita, who scored three goals, Monika, Salima Tete, Deepika and Lalremsiami all scored one goal each.
It wasn't all smooth sailing though as Thailand scored for the first time in history against India. Before this game, the two teams had faced each other five times, and never could they score.
Coach Janneke Schopman also wasn't happy with the performance in the first half and said to the broadcaster during the break that India looked nervous and the players were making half passes.
But all that changed in the second half as they pumped in four goals and conceded none. The win should give the team a lot of confidence and they will look to continue their good show against Malaysia on Saturday.
Earlier, Lalremsiami failed to score in the sixth minute from a tight angle, but Monika made sure it wasn't a costly miss as she gave India the lead in the next minute. Following another move down the right flank, the goalkeeper was forced to make a save but the defenders failed to put away the loose ball as Monika slammed it into the board between the legs of Thai goalkeeper Siraya Yimkrajang.
India then won their first PC in the 12th minute. The trap wasn't clean, and it went to waste. But they grabbed their second PC within minutes and made it 2-0. This time again the trap wasn't perfect, but Navneet Kaur's shot was deflected by the goalkeeper towards Salima, who had made the injection, and put the ball into an empty net.
Thailand, however, reduced the lead seven minutes into the second quarter after they won their second PC of the match. Supansa Samanso scored the goal when she deflected the ball past an onrushing Savita.
After that, both Laremsiami and Tete got close chances to restore the two-goal lead but could convert none.
It was Sangita who found the net in the 29th minute. Navneet Kaur's shot from the top of the D was saved by the outstretched foot of the Thai goalkeeper but Sangita was there to lob it over the goalkeeper and make it 3-1 for India.
After the change of ends, the fans got to see a whole different side on the field as India dominated from the word go and kept creating chances. If Deepika's goal in the 40th minute gave India a boost, it was Sangita's double in the 45th minute that really charged them up. Lalremsiami did make it 7-1 in the 52nd minute but it could have been even more if not for the Thai defence and some brave goalkeeping.
