New Delhi: Indian women suffered a demoralising 2-5 loss against South Africa on Wednesday that sent the visitors through to the final of the Olympic qualifiers here, while turning the hosts' last league encounter against Italy into a virtual semi-final.
The partisan crowd at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium expected to see India seal a final berth, but Dirkie Chamberlain's triple strike and two goals by Sulette Damons put the game beyond India's reach. Their fate will now be decided on Friday - after a rest day on Thursday - when they face Italy.
India did show some teeth, levelling the score twice to make it 1-1 through skipper Asunta Lakra in the first half and 2-2 through Soundarya Yendala in the second. But just two penalty-corner conversions out of the six they created cost India heavily, pushing them to third in the standings with 7 points, behind toppers South Africa (10) and Italy (8).
South Africa made their intentions clear with a neat attack in the 2nd minute itself but Lauren Penny failed to lay her stick to a cross in front of an empty goal. India too got a chance a go ahead in the very next minute but the weak push on a PC dashed those hopes.
The South Africans finally made it 1-0 with a PC conversion by Chamberlain in the 12th minute. While the direct attempt was saved by goalkeeper Savita, Chamberlain made no mistake on the rebound.
India then equalised through skipper Asunta Lakra in the 23rd minute through their third PC but Chamberlain’s field goal in the 32nd minute made it 2-1 at the half-time hooter.
India came out attacking in the second half but some shoddy finishing and weak defence let the team down despite Soundarya's equaliser off the sixth PC in the 52nd minute of the match. But after that point, it was all South Africa who exposed the gaps in the Indian defence, a mistake that coach CR Kumar admitted in the post-match press conference.
South Africa scored three goals in the next 14 minutes that tore Indian hopes apart. Sulette Damons made it 3-2 in the 53rd minute, which was increased to 4-2 by Chamberlain's third goal of the match in 58th. Damons then added another goal to her tally in the 67th to complete the rout.
In the other matches of the women's section on Friday, Italy beat Ukraine 2-1 and Canada beat Poland 1-0.
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