Deepika, Rutuja, Navneet score hat-tricks to power India to 17-1 win over Indonesia

KAKAMIGAHARA (JAPAN): The troika of destructive young forward Deepika Sehrawat, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal and Navneet Kaur fired a hat-trick each as the Indian women's hockey team hammered Indonesia 17-1 to register its second consecutive Pool B win at the Asian Games here on Monday.

The 22-year-old Deepika (8th, 28th, 40th minutes), who scored eight goals in India's 19-0 drubbing of Uzbekistan in the lung-opener, converted three penalty corners, while Rutuja (15th, 20th, 38th) found the net thrice from field play.

Navneet's goals came in the 35th, 56th and 57th minutes.

In addition, Sunelita Toppo (11th, 30th), Lalremsiami (12th, 16th) and Sakshi Rana (25th, 57th), scored a brace each while skipper Salima Tete (35th) Ishika Chaudhary (36th) also found the net once.

Indonesia's solitary goal was scored by Innes Aditiya in the 32nd minute.

India will next take on Thailand on Wednesday.

After the resounding 19-0 thrashing of Uzbekistan on Sunday, the Indians made a steady start.

India had the first chance in the fourth minute in the form of a penalty stroke but Navneet's attempt was saved by the Indonesia goalkeeper.

It was Deepika who gave India the lead by converting a penalty corner in the eighth minute.

The goal opened the floodgates as Sunelita doubled the lead three minutes later, tapping in a pass from Neha.

Two minutes after that, Lalremsiami scored from a rebound after Deepika's flick from a set piece was saved by the Indonesian custodian.

It was raining goals thereafter with Rutuja next to register her name on the score-sheet, pushing the ball in after Sakshi Rana's attempt was saved.

A minute later, Lalremsiami scored her second goal of the match from a field effort and then Rutuja followed suit, stretching full to guide home Neha's pass.

Sakshi made the scoreline 7-0 in the 27th minute scoring from a rebound before Deepika converted another penalty corner. Sunelita then sent in Navneet's hit from a penalty corner to hand India a commanding 9-0 lead at half-time.

Two minutes after the change of ends, Indonesia pulled a goal back when Innes Aditiya scored from a penalty corner before India skipper Salima found the back of the net from a field try.

India kept toying with the inexperienced Indonesian defence and scored goals at will to register their second consecutive resounding victory. The team needs to win a gold to earn direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

India's chief coach Sjoerd Marijne said he was satisfied with the performance of his wards in the first two games but the match against hosts Japan will be their real challenge to top the pool.

"It's difficult because the difference between the two countries, the level is too big. When are you doing well? When you win with 10-0, with 2-0 or 17-1 like now?" he wondered aloud.

"You try to make challenges for the team, but you still see they sometimes miss a little bit of concentration. But it's really normal. I think we do well in these kind of games. We play, we score some beautiful goals, we score some penalty corners, and we stay in the rhythm of the tournament.

"Of course, the match for us in the pool (stage) is Japan. They are the strongest and the team to beat for us to become first in the pool. From there, we will see who is going to be our opponent," the Dutchman said.

Rutuja, who scored a hat-trick against Indonesia on Monday, credited team effort for the resounding win.

"We play as a team, and we focus every time on the next match. We are doing hard work. That's why we win," she said.

"The tournament is going well. But we try to focus on the next match and the next match. We believe in ourselves, and we believe in the team, and we are pushing each other every time."