Amstelveen [Netherlands], August 24 : India's campaign at the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup ended heartbreakingly after a 0-0 draw against Australia saw them miss out on a semifinal berth on goals scored.
India needed a victory to keep their hopes alive and reach the next round but were unable to find the breakthrough despite creating several promising opportunities. The two teams finished level on points and goal difference, but Australia secured the semifinal berth by virtue of having scored more goals during the tournament.
The match remained goalless throughout as both sides produced disciplined defensive displays. Australia enjoyed several penalty-corner opportunities, but India's defence stood firm, while goalkeeper Savita and her backline repeatedly denied the Australians.
India also benefitted from successful video referrals that overturned key Australian chances during the contest.
India came closest late in the game through Salima Tete, Navneet Kaur and Lalremsiami, but the crucial finishing touch eluded them. Head coach Sjoerd Marijne's side even withdrew their goalkeeper in the closing stages in search of a winning goal, but Australia managed to keep them at bay.
Despite the disappointment, the tournament marked one of India's finest performances at a Women's World Cup. The team will now play the classification match for fifth and sixth place, ensuring their second-best finish in the competition's history after finishing fourth in 1974.
"We don't feel good; we came so close, but we let this game go out of our hands. We need to learn from this match. It was a tough game for us. We will learn from this. We had some chances as well, and we didn't finish. We lose as a team; we'll fight to finish fifth. This World Cup isn't finished for us," India captain Salima Tete said after the match, as quoted by ESPN.
With a resilient defensive effort and a spirited campaign, India leave the World Cup with pride, but also with the pain of knowing they were only a single goal away from a historic semifinal appearance.