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After two matches against the Australia A side, the Indian women's hockey team is set to face the senior team in their next three friendlies at the Perth Hockey Stadium on May 1.
India will be looking to improve upon their performance after suffering two defeats in their first two games against Australia A. In the first match, India fought valiantly but fell short, losing 3-5 to the Australia A team. The winning side took an early lead, scoring four goals in the first half. India did well to reduce the deficit, but was unable to make a comeback over the next two quarters. Mahima Tete (27'), Navneet Kaur (45'), and Lalremsiami (50') scored goals for India while Neasa Flynn (3'), Olivia Downes (9'), Ruby Harris (11'), Tatum Stewart (21'), and Kendra Fitzpatrick (44') recorded goals for Australia A. In the second match, India suffered an unfortunate defeat with a narrow scoreline of 2-3. This time, it was India that scored the opening goal through Jyoti Singh (13'), after which Australia A came back with goals from Evie Stansby (17'), Dayle Dolkens (48'), and Jamie-Lee Surha (52'). India's second goal came through Sunelita Toppo (59'), but the visiting side couldn't equalise in time. India's 26-member squad, led by captain Salima Tete and vice-captain Navneet Kaur, will now face a bigger challenge than the senior team of Australia over the next three matches. The last time both sides met, India enjoyed a 1-0 victory during the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023-24 and will look to obtain a similar result. Reflecting on India's performance in the tour so far, chief coach Harendra Singh stated, as quoted from Hockey India, "In both the matches, we have conceded some soft goals which were disheartening, but apart from that, we have been very competitive. This is a test series, so it is not about winning or losing, it is about the experience." "There are some players who have come out of the country to play for the very first time. I am giving the youngsters a chance to play so they are prepared to be the next generation," he added. Harendra Singh also touched upon the team's strategy for the matches coming ahead and added, 'In the first two games, most of the players have had a chance to play and now we will try out the best combinations among players. I am looking forward to this because this is how we identify the players who can compete in the forthcoming Pro League matches in Europe. Before going to the World Cup next year, the new girls should play a minimum of 35 matches. That is the goal we keep in mind while preparing for such tournaments." Talking about his assessment of the young players in the team, the coach said, "Everyone is giving their heart and there is healthy competition within the team. The one girl who has caught my eye is Mahima Tete. She's mobile, quick and has great potential." "Same for Pooja, Sujata, Ajmina and all the other young players. Everyone is working hard and trying to learn. The key is to play simple hockey and gain experience against tough opponents like Australia," he concluded. (ANI)
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