Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], November 4 : Japan women's hockey team head coach Jude Menezes heaped praise on the team for producing a strong performance and bouncing back after going one goal down against China in the ongoing Jharkhand Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2023.
Japan sealed their place in the final after their remarkable comeback to beat China. Luo Tiantian broke the stalemate in the first quarter to give tournament favourites China a goal advantage.
Japan bounced back in the second half, with Urata Kana and Suzuki Miyu converting a penalty corner each to hand them an advantage and eventually see off the game by 2-1.
After the game, Menezes hailed the team's effort to bounce back against a strong opposition. "The girls were fantastic today. The fight that they showed after being a goal down, the fight they showed, I am very proud of their effort. I just want to enjoy this win for now, celebrate with the girls and then make a strategy."
China's women's hockey team coach, Alyson Annan, admitted that their team didn't put enough efforts to walk away with a victory.
"We didn't play well, we didn't put efforts to play a good game and that what we need to learn. You have to work hard to win games and we didn't do that," Annan said after China's 2-1 defeat.
Menezes is a former India hockey player. India will play Japan in the final of the tournament on Sunday. India sealed their spot in the final later on Satuday with a 2-0 victory over South Korea.
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