India eves end campaign without a win; will play for 9-12 places

Madrid, Oct 4 (UNI) Winless India capped their disastrous campaign with a 0-1 loss to China in a Pool 'A' match of the Women's World Cup Hockey here today.

With only one point from five outings, earned through a 1-1 draw with England in controversial circumstances, India ended their league engagements with bottom place finish in their pool.

They earlier lost to Germany, the Netharlands and Spain with identical margins of 2-3 before today's match.

India will now play for 9-12 places and see whether they can better there 12th place finish in the 1998 edition of the tournament in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

They did not qualify in the last edition in Perth, Australia.

China, on the other hand, did little justice to their Champions Trophy runners-up status in July, registering their only one win in the tourney.

They finished their league outings with three points and one place above India in the pool and will also play for the 9-12 places.

The match was dull and drab with both the teams showing little enthusiasm to make goal-bound moves and they earned four penalty corners each but wasted all of them.

China scored the all-importannt goal in the 25th minute when Fu Bao Rong deflects the ball into the goal from close range leaving no chance to Indian goalkeeper Helen Mary (1-0).

After resumption, India tried to force the pace of the match and in the 40th minute a spectacular run by Jasjeet Kaur Handa penetrated the rival circle, but her powerful high shot hit the outside of the post.

In the last 15 minutes, India made a last ditched effort to restore parity with Saba Anjum making a few dangerous moves into the rival goal.

India forced three penalty corners in the space of two minutes but muffed all of them.

The direct penalty corner shot in the 59th minute was saved by Chinese goalkeeper Zhang Yi Meng.

Another direct penalty corner hit in the 60th minute sailed over the bar after deflecting from a Chinese defender. One more penalty corner in the next minute went for a long corner.

Earlier the Netherlands, who were already through to the last four, were held to a goaless draw by Germany but still managed to top Pool 'A'.

Needing only a draw to emerge clear winner in the pool, the Dutch dominated their rivals throghout the match and were unlucky not to have won their last match and maintained an all win record.

They had won all their earlier four matches and with today's draw they finished their pool matches with 13 points.

On the other hand, Germany had little at stake as they were already out of contention for a semi-final berth. They now play for 5-8 places and see whether they can improve on their seventh place finish in the last edition of the tournament.

The Netherlands earned three penalty corners but Maartje Paumen failed to score each time while Germany also muffed the two penalty corners they got.

Naomi Van As, Kim Lammers and Sylvia Karres were not in their elements in the Dutch forwardline and wasted several opportunities that came their way.

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