By Harpal Singh Bedi
Jakarta, Aug 21 (UNI) India reduced Kazakhstan to smithereens mauling them 21-0 to record their second one sided victory in the Women’s hockey competition at the 18th Asian Games here on Tuesday.
For the winners who led 9-0 at half, the goal scorers were Gurjit Kaur (4) Navneet Kaur, Navjot Kaur (3 each), Lalremsiami, Udita, Vandana Katariya, Lilima Minz (two each) Neha Goya, Monika, Ekka Deep Grace (one each).
Earlier in other matches, China blanked Chinese Taipei 9-0, Japan overpowered Hong Kong China 6-0, and title contender Korea outplayed Indonesia 5-0.
In all 41 goals were scored off the four matches played on Tuesday in which losers failed to score even once.
It was yet another one sided encounter which the Indian girls dominated but their weakness in converting the penalty corners was very visible. In first 30 minutes they forced seven penalty corners but could convert only one.
Indian started the goal riot in the 7th minute when they forced their first penalty corner and Gurjit Kaur made no mistake kin converting.
Four more goals followed in as many minutes through Lalremsiami, Neha Goyal, and Navneet Kaur who scored twice in the 11th and 12th minute to close the first quarter at 5-0. In between the winners earned four more penalty corners which they could not convert.
Indians showed no mercy on their helpless rivals and fired four more in the second quarter to make 9-0 at half time.
These four goals were contributed by Navjot Kaur, Lalremsiami (2), Vandana Katariya.
As Indians kept scoring, the Kazakh girls gave up the pretension up playing or even putting up a façade of resistance.
The farcical nature of the game is not good for the sport which is already lacking spectator appeal.
But unmindful of the plight of their rivals, Indian girls kept pounding the goal and added 7 more in the third quarter taking the tally to 16-0 with 15 minutes still to go.
Well one cannot even call the proceedings as target practices because there was no resistance or challenge. It can at best be called as net practice with rivals helping the winners to score more.
It was a bizarre sight and to call it a match in the Asian Games competition would amount to blasphemy.
As the goals continued to pour and Kazakh girls showing no interest even trying to be physical or making a bold move to block the Indians one exasperated spectator shouted that India should declare.
Another came up with an idea that teams like Indonesia Thailand Kazakhstan be given eight or ten goal handicap in such competitions.
As such highly fancied and exaggerated idea were being discussed in the stand , Indians poured more misery on Central Asian Girls.
Coach Marijne Sjoerd was not very happy with 8-0 win over Indonesia in the opening match as the hosts had not allowed India more than two goals in the second half.
But whether Sjored will be happy with this “huge” win. And questions will rightly be asked what use of such games, who benefits and who is the learner.
The such results totally demoralize the losing side and dents the games popularity in those country. After all who will like to be part of the team which loses.
For the record five goals came in the last quarter.
UNI HSB NC