Australia women in semis as India’s World Cup podium hopes end with 0-0 draw

The Hockeyroos only needed a draw. Prior to the game, coach Rhett Halkett was asked whether his team would play accordingly. He would have none of it. “It’s not in Australia’s nature to go out and play for a draw,” he said.

What, then, is the Australian way of playing games where a draw would suffice? It took all but 73 seconds for Halkett’s rejoinder to arrive. Grace Stewart found a way through, only for the goal to be chalked off by the TV umpire for dangerous play.

One could have borrowed the Coldplay lyricbook to summarise the first 10 minutes of the game — it was, indeed, all yellow. Australia had more than 60 percent of the possession, pinning India back and dictating the rhythm. Amy Lawton tried a tomahawk in the 10th minute, but between her and the goal stood the goalkeeper who, before long, will become India’s most capped women’s hockey player — Savita Punia.

Australia resumed much as they had begun, earning a penalty corner just 87 seconds into the second quarter. But if there is one certainty about Marijne’s India, it is that they know how to defend. They conceded only three goals in the first round, with only the Netherlands conceding fewer. Add to it Australia’s underwhelming penalty corner conversion rate — 14.71 percent before this game, 13th among the 16 teams — and the result was along expected lines. No goal.

Missed opportunity

Trailing on nearly every metric, and having not generated a shot for 30 minutes, India earned their first penalty corner with 21 seconds remaining before half-time. Marijne, in more ways than one, reiterated in the build-up to the game that India must be clinical from penalty corners. On that attempt, they were anything but.

The coach’s message to the team at half-time was to play freely, but freedom remained elusive.

Only four minutes later, India needed Savita to play the saviour again. Had it not been for her save, Stephanie Kershaw would have scored her second goal of this World Cup. As it was in the first two quarters, Australia fashioned the opening chance of the third. Grace Young’s effort in the 34th minute was on target, but her precision was dwarfed by Savita’s experience. Four minutes later, the veteran came to India’s rescue again, denying Kershaw again.

But Kershaw kept knocking, and in the 40th minute, converted from a penalty corner. Or so she thought — until replays showed the ball had struck Shilpi Dabas’ arm on the way in, and the TV umpire was India’s best ally yet again.

For all of their territorial dominance, Australia had nothing to show on the scoreboard, but India nearly did in the dying stages of the third quarter. Baljeet Kaur burst down the right and, with the clock draining away, found Deepika in front of goal. The young forward swung at it, but her stick connected with nothing but air.

The starts to each quarter had belonged to Australia. In the fourth, they needed only 18 seconds to win yet another penalty corner. Once again, India’s defence held. That, though, was not enough. As the evening drew to a close, Savita cut a desolate figure. The tears flowed freely. Her anguish impossible to conceal, impossible to console. She is 36. There might not be another August.