Ede [Netherlands], October 14 : The Indian Sub Junior Women's Hockey Team (U17) and Sub Junior Men's Team (U17) both began their historic maiden tour with victories in their respective matches against the Senior EDE Women's and Men's teams. The Women's team won 3-2 while the Men's team won 8-0 as the victories in foreign conditions augured well for the squads gearing up for the remainder of the campaign.
In the women's game, despite EDE taking the early lead, goals from Ravina, Karuna Minz, and Bhavya helped India secure a lead of 3-1. While the third quarter saw EDE reduce the deficit to bring the score line to 3-2, a determined Indian team ensured that there were no more defensive lapses for the remainder of the game to complete a landmark victory for India, as per Hockey India's release.
Indian Sub Junior Women's Team Coach Rani Rampal, who is a former India Captain, expressed her immense pride in the Sub Junior Team's performance during their first international game.
"We are immensely proud of our team and the way they performed in their first international game," she said, before adding, "On the pitch, their determination, teamwork, and resilience were truly inspiring. And this victory demonstrates that we are on the right track. Of course, the work is not finished, and we have a lot more to do. But we are extremely pleased with their performance because this victory reflects not only their abilities but also their heart and spirit. We will carry on this momentum and strive for excellence in the upcoming matches. The future of Indian women's hockey is indeed bright."
The men's game saw complete dominance from the Indian side with Aashu Maurya scoring the first goal followed by a hat-trick from Ajeet Yadav, a brace from Rohit Irengbam Singh, and goals from Srijan Yadav and Rahul Rajbhar This, combined with an impenetrable defence throughout the game, ensured that they would go on to secure an 8-0 win over the Senior EDE team.
"This win marks a historic moment for our young squad," Indian Sub Junior Men's Team Coach Sardar Singh said, before adding, "Their performance on their first international tour illustrates their potential and the bright prospects of Indian men's hockey. We faced a formidable opponent, but our players demonstrated exceptional skill and tenacity. This victory demonstrates their dedication and the progress we are making in the world of hockey. We will build on this success and strive for even greater heights in future games."
The Indian Sub Junior Women's Team will next be in action against the Netherlands Girls U18 Team followed by the Indian Sub Junior Men's Team taking on the Netherlands Boys U18 team on October 14.
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