Tokyo: Fist pumping, hugging, jumping, exulting -- almost every human emotion was on display at Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo Olympics. But the shoulders were not down, guards were never dropped as the Indian women team fought valiantly like true fighters on a battlefield against Great Britain.
The aphorism -- 'Chak de' moment -- that has been in the reel and hearts of Indians for almost a decade, and streaming on Internet too, couldn't come to life on Friday after the Rani Rampal-led side lost to Great Britain in the bronze medal play-off.
The scoreline at the end of it read: 3-4.
It was only yesterday that the men's team rewrote history as it claimed an Olympic medal after 41 years, defeating Germany 5-4 to win the bronze in an edge-of-the-seat play-off match.
Yes, Indian women couldn't replicate it. But what they have done is nothing short of clinching a medal for India.
The team had already surpassed all expectations by recording their best-ever Olympic performance in the last match against Argentina. And they will now hold their heads high as they arrive back to India.
Here is the Quarter-wise details of the match:
1st quarter: India got an early scare within two minutes the match had started. Great Britain (GB) got the first penalty corner (pc) but Savita Punia saved the blushes and prevented the damage. Both the team looked on offensive, but equally good in defending as well. The first quarter ended with 0-0.
2nd quarter: GB started off with a goal in a flash in the second quarter. Elena Sian Rayer netted for Britain to take her team 1-0 ahead in the match. Team's forward Lalremsiami came up with an brilliant reverse flick but Maddie Hinch as always denied India the equaliser. An absolute brilliant acrobatic skills was on display. Meanwhile, Nisha had to take off due to green card. Sarah Robertson scored for GB to take 2-0 lead. India, meanwhile, were trying extremely hard to penetrate the defences and Gurjeet Kaur finally opened the account for India with a superb goal. India got further boost with Kaur against striking the ball hard toward net. It went like a bullet and the match got on equal terms with scoreline reading 2-2. The intensity from the Indians went up a notch as they scored another. The swashbuckling player Vandana Kataria got India ahead in the match. 3-2 read the scoreboard in India's favour.
3rd quarter: This quarter seemed like a decider. Both the teams went on a rampage in some punishing conditions in Tokyo. But it was Great Britain's skipper Hollie Pearne-Webb who came on top. GB by this time equaled 3-3. The next few minutes saw both the standing at 3-3.
4th quarter: In came the last quarter of 15 minutes. Britain's Grace Balsdon had other plans. She scored and GB was not in lead 4-3. Despite the possession of the ball for a much longer time, they couldn't convert them into goals in the dying moments of the match.
Earlier on Thursday, the men's team rewrote history as it claimed an Olympic medal after 41 years, defeating Germany 5-4 to win the bronze in an edge-of-the-seat play-off match.
Match report with added details:
The Indians played their hearts out and overcame a two-goal deficit to lead 3-2 at half time. But a desperate Great Britain gave their everything in the second half and scored two goals to snatch the match from India's hands.
India scored three goals in a span of five minutes through Gurjit Kaur (25th, 26th minutes) and Vandana Katariya (29th) to stun Great Britain.
But the Britishers found the net four times through Elena Rayer (16th), Sarah Robertson (24th), skipper Hollie Pearne-Webb (35th) and Grace Baldson (48th) to emerge winners.
As expected, Great Britain started strongly and had the lion's share of ball possession and chances in the first quarter.
The Indians made some circle penetrations but failed to create any clear cut chances and were also guilty of losing possession at the midfield.
India goalkeeper Savita Punia stood out in the first quarter, denying Great Britain on at least three occasions.
She first made a fine save from Great Britain's first penalty corner in the second minute and then pulled off a double save in the 12th minute to keep India in the hunt.
In between Great Britain also wasted another penalty corner.
Britain began the second quarter on the same pace and took the lead when Elena Rayer's push went into the net after getting a deflection of Deep Grace Ekka's stick.
Minutes later, the former gold-medallists secured their third penalty corner which yielded no result.
Lalremsiami came close to equalising for India only to be denied by the experienced Maddie Hinch, who brilliantly kept away the Indian striker's reverse hit.
India got their first penalty corner soon but wasted it.
Great Britain doubled their lead in the 24th minute when Robertson scored with a powerful reverse hit from top of the circle.
A minute later, India got two back-to-back penalty corners and Gurjit converted the second chance to reduce the margin.
Two minutes later, Salima Tete's brilliant run from the left flank earned India another penalty corner and Gurjit was once bang on target to draw parity.
The momentum shifted completely in India's favour as they started to attack with numbers and threatened the Great Britain goal frequently thereafter in the second quarter.
After Sharmila Devi hit wide from a one-on-one situation, the Indians stunned Great Britain when Vandana tapped in an open ball inside the circle to go into half time with a 3-2 lead.
Down by a goal, Great Britain were expected to come out hard after resumption and they did exactly that forcing the pace of the game, securing a penalty corner two minutes into the third quarter but India defended well.
But a minute later, Great Britain drew level through skipper Hollie Pearne-Webb.
The Indians then secured two more penalty corners but couldn't utilise them.
Savita stood like a wall in front of the Indian goal and pulled off some brilliant saves to deny Great Britain.
A second from the end of third quarter, India secured the seventh penalty corner but to no effect.
The fourth quarter completely belonged to Great Britain as they pressed hard on the Indian defence in search of goals.
The ploy worked as the Indian backline wilted under pressure and conceded four quick penalty corners, three of them in succession and Baldson scored from the last one with a flick that went through Savita's legs.
India had one more chance in the form of a penalty corner in the last eight minutes but Great Britain defended stoutly to deny Gurjit a hat-trick.
Thereafter, Great Britain did just enough to keep India at bay and to ensure a finish on the podium.
(With inputs from PTI)
