It was the first time in the history of Olympics that the India’s women’s hockey team qualified for the semi-finals. After defeating three-time world champion Australia in the quarter-final. But the Indian women’s hockey team losing to Argentina 1-2 was a heartbreaking moment. India tough had an early lead in the match with the help of a penalty corner. It was the captain Argentina Maria Noel Barrionuevo who scored a brace to help Argentina, the four-time Olympic medallist to secure at least the silver medal.
Both the men’s and the women’s hockey teams found themselves in the same situation, as they still have an opportunity to win the bronze medal for the country. India’s women’s hockey team which is led by Rani Rampal’s will face Great Britain in the bronze medal match. Great Britain who were the 2016 Rio Olympic gold medallist lost in the semi-final to Netherland in this Tokyo Olympics.
It is never going to be easy for India’s women’s hockey team to beat Argentina, which won an Olympic medal on four occasions. In the year 2000, the Argentina team won a silver medal in Sydney. It was then followed by bronze medals in 2004 at Athens and in 2008 Beijing. They even won a bronze medal in London in 2012.
Argentina was surprised when India took a very early lead, they started to playing attacking but the Indian women’s team was up to the task as they defended it bravely. It was what they did against Australia in the quarter-final. India was in a good position by the end of the first quarter1-0.
Argentina gave strong a comeback in the second quarter as they pushed Indians inside their half. The pressure started to work in the favor of Argentina as they got penalty corners. It was Argentina’s captain who made better use of the penalty corners by scoring a scintillating goal.
India tough had two penalty corners, but Argentina’s defense stood strong. India still managed to keep the score 1-1 at the half-time shooter. But Argentina gradually started to dominate the match. It was the captain of Argentina who made a crucial goal in the third quarter from the penalty corner they got. India tried their best in the fourth encounter as they were close to equalizing the score on a couple of occasions. But in the end, it was Argentina who won the semi-final against India 2-1.
Argentina is set to face off against the strong Netherlands in the finals of the Tokyo Olympics. The Netherlands won a silver medal in the Rio Olympics.
