Deepika converted two brilliant penalty corners as India erased an early two-goal deficit to defeat the United States 3-2 on Sunday. This opening Pool A victory at the North Harbour National Hockey Centre gives the squad a crucial three points at the start of the tournament.
United States caught the defense off guard with an early attacking surge. Ashley Sessa opened the scoring with a crisp field goal in the fourth minute.
Trailing by two, the Indian side showed incredible mental resilience to turn the game around before halftime. Drag-flick specialist Deepika triggered the fightback in the 17th minute by driving home a penalty corner.
Navneet Kaur completed the stunning turnaround in the 28th minute by converting India's third consecutive penalty corner. This lethal efficiency from set-pieces ensured the team entered the interval with a hard-earned 3-2 lead.
Tournament Significance: India won the inaugural edition of this tournament back in 2022.
Neither side could find a breakthrough during a physical and scoreless second half. Solid defensive structures held firm under pressure in the final quarters, helping India secure maximum points. This victory places India second in Pool A, trailing Japan only on goal difference.
With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI
