Canberra [Australia], September 27 : The Indian junior women's hockey team endured a gruelling outing and suffered a 0-5 defeat against the Australia U-21 side in its second match of the ongoing Australia Tour at the National Hockey Centre, Canberra, on Saturday.
Makayla Jones (10', 11', 52'), Sami Love (38'), and Migaliya Howell (50') were the goal scorers for the hosts.
India, who had suffered a narrow 2-3 loss in their opening match on Friday, were eager to bounce back, but Australia showed their attacking intent right from the start. The hosts struck twice in quick succession through Makayla Jones, who scored field goals in the 10th and 11th minutes, putting India on the back foot early in the contest.
The Indian defence regrouped in the second quarter and tightened its lines to deny Australia further opportunities before half-time. The goalkeeper and defenders combined well to withstand sustained pressure. At the same time, India also attempted to push forward with a few attacking forays, although they were unable to convert their chances in the circle.
In the second half, Australia continued to press high and capitalised on their opportunities. Sami Love (38') extended the lead with a field goal to make it 3-0. India attempted to respond through quick counterattacks but failed in its attempts.
The fourth quarter saw Australia seal the contest, with Migaliya Howell (50') finding the back of the net, before Makayla (52') completed her hat-trick two minutes later to take the game out of India's reach. Despite India's determined effort to hold their structure and test themselves against a physically strong opponent, the hosts proved too clinical on the day.
With two defeats in their opening matches, India will now aim to regroup quickly and focus on improving their execution in the upcoming fixtures. The ongoing tour is an important part of their build-up to the FIH Hockey Women's Junior World Cup 2025, scheduled to be held in Santiago, Chile, this December. India will next face the Australian U21 side in their third match of the tour on 29th September at the same venue.