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Women’s Asian Champions Trophy: India moves past Korea, meets Japan in the final
The Hindu
India reach final, Japan upset China 2-1. Malaysia beat Thailand 1-0 for 5th spot. India's team effort, solid defence help them win 2-0. Japan convert 11 PCs to China's 4 to upset them.
The Indian women won 2-0, continuing from where they had left off and defeating Korea for the second time in as many games to reach the final of the Jharkhand Asian Champions Trophy here on Saturday.
They will now take on Japan in a repeat of the bronze medal match at the Asian Games, seeking only their second title against the defending champion after the Japanese upset reigning Asian Games champion China 2-1 in the other semifinal. China will play Korea for the third spot.
India’s intentions and attempts were clear from the beginning as the host stayed on the attack and had a couple of penalty corners inside the first five minutes but shot wide on both occasions.
A solid team effort in the 11th minute helped India break the deadlock, a goal that was as impressive for its rhythm as its execution.
Salima Tete stole the ball near the Korean 23-yard line, ran through the middle of the field in a straight line like a bullet and passed on to Vandana Katariya on the left.
The latter sent the ball to Navneet in a single, fluid motion, who passed it to an unmarked Salima near the far post. The youngster shot home from an acute angle.
Vaishnavi Phalke, drafted in only two days back as Sonika was ruled out after a collision and possible concussion, shot in a rebound off India’s third penalty corner to double the lead in the 19th minute.
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Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.