Singapore (5 Oct, 2016): India ended a six-year wait by claiming the 4th Asian Women’s Champions Trophy with a 2-1 win over China in the final at the Sengkang Hockey Stadium in Singapore on Saturday.
Deepika found the back of the net in the 60th minute to hand India the winner, and the title. With just 20 seconds to go for the final buzzer, the striker kept her cool and triggered celebrations.
India started the game well and took the lead through Deep Grace Ekka’s field goal in the 13th minute of match and kept the lead well under wraps at the half-way point but China bounced back and levelled the scoring with Zhong Mengling in the 44th minute of the match.
It was India’s second appearance in the Asian Champions Trophy and first victory. They won bronze in 2010 but lost 1-0 to Japan in the 2013 final – the last time the tournament was held while China’s best showing was fourth placing in 2010 and 2013 in Kakamighara, Japan.
The fourth quarter saw both teams come hard at each other in search of the winner but it was Deepika’s heroics which sealed the game for the team.
India was unbeaten in the tournament before they lost to China 2-3 in their final round-robin league encounter. China occupied the top spot of the standings and India exacted revenge with this win in the final.
In the match for third-fourth placing, Japan also left it late to come from two goals down to defeat rivals South Korea 2-1.
The Koreans shot ahead in the 37th minute from a Cho Yun Kyoung field goal but Japan struck twice to pull this stunning winner of the world No 9 Koreans. Minami Shimize scored in the 53rd minute to level 1-1 before team captain Maki Sakagacuhi scored the winner in 60th minute via a field goal.
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