Junior Women's Hockey: Beauty Dungdung's hat-trick helps India beat Chile 5-3

Santiago (Chile), January 18: The Indian Junior Women's Team produced a fantastic performance on Sunday (January 17) evening to defeat the Chile Junior Women's team by a score-line of 5-3 to complete a highly successful return to hockey in Santiago at the Prince of Wales Country Club.

On a day, which also saw the Indian Senior Women's Hockey team in action in the earlier push-back, the Indian Junior Eves were involved in a high-scoring encounter with India's Beauty Dungdung (29', 38', 52'), Lalrindiki (14') and Sangita Kumari (30') scoring the goals. Chile's goals were scored by Simone Avelli (10'), Paula Sanz (25') and Fernanda Arrieta (49').

The match started with the Chile Junior Team retaining most of the possession, and scoring in the 10th minute as Simone Avelli was on the end of a perfect pass to score the hosts' opening goal. However, India struck back just 4 minutes later as Forward Lalrindiki found herself in the right spot at the right time to score the equalizer in the 14th minute.

The hosts were then presented with a glorious opportunity to restore their advantage as they were awarded a Penalty Corner in the 25th minute. It was Paula Sanz who stepped up to execute it, and was successful in doing so, thereby giving Chile a 2-1 lead.

Despite the setback, India continued to fight back, and dominated proceedings in the latter stages of the 2nd quarter, and scored twice in two minutes to turn the game around.

First, it was Beauty Dungdung in the 29th minute who finished off a beautiful team move to make it 2-2, and then Sangita Kumari saw her shot hit the back of the goalposts, which made it 3-2 in India's favour. The visitors then took control of the match in the last two quarters, keeping possession, and initiating swift attacking moves to build pressure on their opponents.

The pressure did finally pay off in the 38th minute as Beauty Dungdung added a second to her name, and India's fourth goal. However, Chile's Junior Eves made use of a Penalty Corner in the 49th minute to pull a goal back through Fernanda Arrieta, and make for a nervy finish to the game.

But India's young guns did not leave any room for a Chilean comeback, as they added a fifth goal to their tally in the 52nd minute through Beauty Dungdung, who completed a superb hat-trick of goals, and gave India a fairly comfortable 5-3 win in their opening match of the Tour of Chile.

The Indian Junior Women's Hockey Team will be in action again on Monday evening (locally) / early Tuesday morning (Indian Standard Time) as they face the Chile Junior Women's Hockey Team at 0400hrs IST.

Source: Press Release