Indian eves pip Russia 1-0 to qualify for WHL Rd 3

India defeated Russia by a solitary goal in their final round-robin match to top the standings in the women's competition and progress to the third round of Hero Hockey World League at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium here today.
Rani Rampal scored the all-important winner for India in the 51st minute to emerge as the highest scorer in the round two of the Hockey World League.
Apart from India, Japan also qualified for the third round of the Hero Hockey World League, a qualifying tournament for next year's FIH World Cup in Hague, The Netherlands.
Even though both India and Japan finished on nine points from five games, the hosts topped the standings by virtue of more victories to their credit.

Placed eight places ahead of the Russians in the world rankings, the 12th ranked Indians started the match as favourites and expectedly were the better side on display in the entire 70-minute duration.
The Indians mounted pressure on the Russian goalmouth from the very beginning with repeated attacks but their forwards lacked precision inside the striking circle.

Russians, on the other hand, were more content in playing the waiting game and mostly relied on counter attacks.
The Indians got real good opportunities to surge ahead in the early stages of the match by earning two penalty corners but they wasted both.

The Russians too got two short corners in the opening half but just like their opponents they also did not capitalize on the opportunities as both the teams failed to break the deadlock in the first 35 minutes.