Indian women qualify for hockey World Cup

With midfielder Sita Gussasin doing the spadework, forward Pritam Thakran unleashed a series of raids which fetched many penalty corners.

Kamla Dalal drew the first blood in the 12th minute when she converted the first penalty corner and two minutes later Sandeep Kaur produced the resultant second penalty corner to put India 2-0 ahead.

In the second half both teams missed a number of chances. However, Thakran increased the lead 3-0 in the 54th minute with a powerful shot from the edge of the circle.

India8217;s victory denied England a semi-final place although they had finished equal on points and beat India 1-0 in their pool game as India had three consecutive wins in comparison to England8217;s two.

In Pool B, New Zealand and China took over joint leadership. It was New Zealand8217;s turn to overrun Zimbabwe on Thursday. They scored 10 goals against the hosts, emphasising once more that Zimbabwe would not be in the tournament on merit but solely as hosts.

China defeated Russia 2-0 in a match that might well have gone the other way. Ying Liu scored from close in after only four minutes, and Shu Zhen Yu converted from the penalty spot near the end. But in between, Russia missed two wide-open goals, and Elena Polovkova hit a post. The Russian team dominated most of the match.

Spain are now out of it, following a 3-0 defeat by Scotland. They are certain to finish fifth or worse, too far down to hope for a qualifying place.

Scotland moved right into contention, however, with a goal from Susan Fraser and two from Susan Macdonald

RESULTS: Pool A: England 4 Cullen 10, Sixsmith 13, 34, Smith 70 drew with South Africa 4 Dare 22, 33, Coetzee 38, 68.

Pool B: Russia 0 lost to China 2 Lui 4, Yong 58; Zimbabwe 0 lost to New Zealand 10 Foy 5, 60, Matthews 24, 28, Walton 33, 35, Smith 41,67, Lawrence 43, 59; India 3 Kamala Dalal 12, Sandeep Kaur 35, Pritam Thakran 54 bt Canada 0.