The Indian women's hockey team suffered its biggest ever defeat (6-0 margin) in a World Cup as they went down 1-7 to the Netherlands in their FIH World Cup opening encounter here last night.
The Indian women's hockey team suffered its biggest ever defeat (6-0 margin) in a World Cup as they went down 1-7 to the Netherlands in their FIH World Cup opening encounter here last night.
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| Oranje on top! Netherlands' Ellen Hoog celebrates her goal as India's Deepika Thakur (left) and Binita Toppo look helpless during last night's World Cup match in Rosario, Argentina. India lost 1-7. pic/AFP |
Having recently hit the headlines back home for all the wrong reasons, after one of their fringe players levied sexual harrassment charges against erstwhile coach MK Kaushik following which he resigned, a good start here would have helped boost the morale of the Indian eves. However it was not to be as the Dutch girls showed no mercy for their opponents.
Netherlands' penalty corner specialist Maartje Paumen scored a hat-trick in the match that saw the Dutch take the lead in as early as the eighth minute when Marilyn Agliotti volleyed home from close range. However the Olympic champions were soon pegged back thanks to a powerful 24th minute strike from India forward Rani Rampal.
Ellen Hoog then made it 2-1 for the Dutch two minutes later before Kim Lammers added a third going into half time.
Paumen then got her name on the score-sheet six minutes after the break, sending a typically powerful penalty corner flick into the India goal.
Naomi van AS was the creator of Netherlands fifth goal, evading a number of challenges with a surging midfield run before Lammers drilled home from the top of the circle (45th minute). The scoring was completed by Paumen in the 49th and 60th minute, the first of which came from the penalty spot and the second coming courtesy of another ferocious penalty corner effort.
This was the Netherlands biggest World Cup victory since beating Ireland 6-0 in 2002.
The Indian eves next play another hockey powerhouse Australia tomorrow.
In another match, Germany beat New Zealand 2-0.
