BELJING: Defending champions South Korea brought out their best to defeat China 31 in the final match of the league to retain the Asian games women’s hockey title,
Korean Captain Lim Gae Sook scored ‘once in each half after Kim Soon Deuk ‘opened the account in the opening minute as South Korea ended the six team round robin with 9 points,
China, with 8 points, won the silver and Japan picked up the bronze with 7 points,
China, needing just a draw against the South Koreans to sew up the title, went at full throttle but could not succeed in their endeavour as the Koreans, runners up at the Seoul Olympics in‘88, proved they were the better side,
Earlier, Japan routed North Korea 6-2 powered by a hat trick from Hisayo Takahashi. While India, already out of the medal race, ended up fourth with 2- 50 victory over Singapore their second win of the tournament.
India thrashed Singapore 50 to finish fourth in the women’s hockey league competition leaving without a medal for the first time in Asian games.
Experienced Rajbir Rai struck thrice while Angela D’S a and Bimal Parbagea scored once each for India to complete their Teague engagements with 2 victories and 3 defeats in 5 matches.
India won the gold in 1982 New Delhi games, when women’s hockey was introduced, and gat a bronze at Seoul in 1986.
Singapore, which failed to win a match, took the wooden spoon in the six team league,
‘The Indian women put up some indifferent show. Though they enjoyed greater share of the attacks, the forwards could not make use of the openings that came their way.
The first goal for India came in the 16th minute with Rajbir Rai converting from the spot. The ‘stroke’ followed a goalline interception with foot by Singapore defender Tan Ruby Lai off Bhupinder Kaur’s penalty comer shot.
The Indians launched several attacks and soon on resumption, Angela D’S a wove her way into the Singapore circle to score the second goal.
One minute later, Rajbir Rai got going with a solo, drew goalkeeper Annie Mathews out and tapped the ball home,
Substitute Bimal Parbagea, who came in for Rajni Joshi, hit home off India’s seventh penalty comer in the 64th minute while Rajbir rounded of the tally 2 minutes later with a scoop following India’s 9th penalty comer,
Custodian Sybil D’Mello was also substituted by BN. Hemalatha, the only one not to have played here so far, with only 10 minutes left.
At the competitions here, India won their matches against North Korea and Singapore and lost to China, Japan and South Korea, They scored 8 goals and conceded 10.
Coach Shiv dutt said he was disappointed with the performance but said the team spirit was affected by the departure of one player, who had failed in the feminity test.
He said: I calculated that India could have won at least the bronze but when we lost the match against Japan (0-1) the ‘chances receded,
Article extracted from this publication >> October 12, 1990
