Star drag-flicker Deepika scored the all-important goal from a set piece to hand India a crucial 1-0 victory over Germany in a return-leg women's FIH Pro League match on Saturday. (More Hockey News)
Deepika🍬 sounded the board with a thunderous flick from a penalty corner in the 12th minute, which proved to be decisive.
Th🌠e win came after India's🐼 0-4 loss against the same opponents here on Friday.
ཧ India will next play Netherlands here✨ on February 24.
After suffering a heavy defeat on Friday, the Indian women did turn the tables around with a 𒁏gritty performance.
The Indians started on a brigh🃏t note and pressed hard on ღthe German defence from the onset.
Soon after the start, skipper Salima Tete took a snap shot after good work from Sunelita Toppo down the left but it didn't bother Finja Starck one bit in🔯 the German goal.
India were by far the more attacking side on display and took the lead in🉐 the 12th minute through their first penalty corner, created 📖by Neha with her brilliant dribbling skills.
Deepika made no mistake this time, scoring her 26th international goal with a fierce da🍬rg-flick.
The Indians continued their high press hockey, not allowing Germany t🍸o get out of thei🔯r own half.
Deepika was at her best in the first two quarters on Saturday as India went into the breather with a sle💎nder one go♊al lead.
The Indians kept up the momentum and se🌃cured another penalty corner in the 31st minute but Deepika's effort hit the right post.
Thereafter, it was all Germany as they pressed forward in search of the꧟ equ🍌aliser.
The Germans secured two back-to༺-back penalty corners just at the end of the t𒐪hird quarter but wasted both.
A minute into the fourth and final quarter, Germany secured anoth♐er set piece but failed to get past Bichu Devi Kharibam in front of Indian goal. Devi made two brilliant sav꧒es.
The Germans weཧre relen♚tless in the final quarter, attacking in numbers with India content to sit back and defend.
In the 53rd minute, the Germans had their last scoring o𒊎pportunity in the form of another penalty corner but Lena Micheel shot wide.
