The India women’s hockey team’s dream run in the FIH Junior World Cup came to a halt after it suffered a 0-3 defeat to three-time champions, the Netherlands, in the semi-finals here on Sunday.
India, whose best finish in the tournament came in the 2013 edition where they finished as bronze medallists, were eying a maiden berth in the summit clash of the event.
The team had so far played high quality hockey to march into the last-four round unbeaten. But on Sunday the Netherlands scored three field goals through Tessa Beetsma (12th minute), Luna Fokke (53rd) and Jip Dicke (54th) to emerge winners and sail into the their fourth consecutive final.
Contrary to the result, the Indians dominated the early share of exchanges.
Mumtaz Khan, India’s highest scorer in the tournament so far with six goals, came close to giving her side the lead early on but her shot from skipper Salima Tete’s pass hit the post.
In the first quarter the Indians secured as many as three penalty corners but failed in final execution.
The Netherlands scored against the run of play in the 12th minute through a fantastic field effort from Beetsma, in what has been described as the best goal of the tournament as it involved 20 passes.