India womens hockey team beat Japan 2-1 to secure a bronze medal in the ongoing Asian Games 2023 in the third-place playoff at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Stadium in Hangzhou on Saturday.Deepika and Sushila Chanu scored in the 5th and 50th minute, respectively for the Indian womens hockey team while Japanese captain Nagai Yuri scored the only goal for her team in the 30th minute.INDIAAAAMission accomplished ✅We present you another medal to our historic tally!🥉#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame #AsianGames #TeamIndia #HangzhouAsianGames #EnRouteToParis #IndianTeam #SunehraSafar pic.twitter.com/6a1XvyAJZy— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) October 7, 2023 Earlier, seventh-ranked in FIH rankings, the Indian womens hockey team, topped Pool A with three wins and one draw to step into the semi-finals. However, Savita Punia led the Indian team and lost 4-0 to host China in the top-four encounter leading to the bronze medal clash.India goes 1-0 in first quarterIn todays clash against Japan, India started the proceedings quickly and took the lead in the fifth minute of the play. After a violation from the penalty corner, India was given the penalty stroke and Deepika made no mistakes grabbing the opportunity with both hands.India created more opportunities and couldve extended its lead in the first quarter itself but some miscommunication and some wrong decisions by the Indian womens forwards in the opposition half led to just a goal lead, at the end of the first quarter.NEWS FLASH: Women Hockey: India win BRONZE medal after beating defending Champion Japan 2-1. #AGwithIAS #IndiaAtAsianGames #AsianGames2022 pic.twitter.com/rXqCngziuS— India_AllSports (@India_AllSports) October 7, 2023 However, in the second quarter, Japan was successful in sneaking into the Indian defense. Although, some last-minute interventions from the defense line of Sushila Chanu and skipper and goalkeeper Savita Punia to protect Indias lead the resistance fell apart with the final play of the quarter.Japan captain Nagai Yuri successfully deflected a penalty corner from close range to ensure that Japan entered half-time with scores leveled. while none of the teams was successful in creating any opportunity in the third quarter of the play.Inaccessible lead of 2-0India strengthened their lead in the final quarter with the bronze medal at stake, and Indian women took the early initiative. Vaishnavi Vittal showcased brilliant stickwork to ensure India a penalty corner but lost a golden opportunity to improve the lead.However, the next penalty corner resulted in a goal for India. Sushila Chanu scored in the 50th minute to take the inaccessible lead of 2-0 against Japan.This was the fourth bronze medal for the Indian womens hockey team at the Asian Games after Seoul 1986, Doha 2006, and Incheon 2014. The Indian women, whose only gold medal came at New Delhi 1982 while India had clinched a silver at the last edition at Jakarta 2018.
