Preview: Their erratic campaign back on track, the Indian women’s hockey team would now be aiming to secure its first World Cup semifinal spot in 44 years by extracting revenge from giant-killers Ireland in the last-eight stage in London on Thursday. India registered their first win of the tournament by sailing past Italy in a quarterfinal play-off last night and if If they manage to beat Ireland, it would ensure them only their second appearance in the World Cup last-four. The only time India had managed to enter the semi-finals of the show-piece event was back in 1974 in Mandelieu, France where they eventually finished fourth. In the last edition of the tournament in Rosario, Argentina India had finished a disappointing eighth. [caption id=“attachment_4881041” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Indian hockey team in action during the Ireland clash. FIH website[/caption] Having come second best in their last two meetings, it would be quite a task for the Indians to beat Ireland. The Irish have been in ominous form having topped Pool B ahead of higher-ranked USA and India. World No 16 Ireland have already scripted history of sorts by outclassing USA 3-1 and India 1-0 before slumping to a 0-1 defeat against hosts England. But they still managed to secure their maiden World Cup quarterfinal berth. India, on the other hand, had to slog it out to make it to the quarterfinals, having drawn 1-1 against England and USA respectively and losing 0-1 to Ireland. The Indians would take heart from the 3-0 win over lower-ranked Italy in the cross-over match. The Rani Rampal-led side re-discovered its scoring prowess to finally end Italy’s World Cup adventure through a field strike from Lalremsiami (20th minute) and two penalty corner goals from Neha Goyal (45th) and Vandana Katariya (55th) to register an emphatic win. The Indians were brilliant with their first touch control and finishing last night and come tomorrow the side would look for an encore to outwit the gutsy Irish. But it won’t be easy as it is the same Irish side which beat them in the last two meetings – 2-1 in the Hockey World League Semi-finals in Johannesburg last year and then here in the pool stages. The Irish would definitely come out as a confident unit but India would be banking on their new-found confidence. The Indian defence led by talismanic Savita under the bar has produced a stellar performance throughout the tournament. It was the forward-line which was lacking the sting but last night’s performance would do a world of good for the strikers’ confidence. Skipper Rani feels India have gained confidence as the tournament has progressed and they would look to carry that forward going into the business-end of the event. “Early in the tournament we didn’t do the one thing we needed to do score goals. But we have found the net now and we can definitely push on with our journey. We do not see that journey ending tomorrow,” she said. It promises to be an exciting encounter as Ireland have already proved that they are no pushovers and the outcome of the match will eventually depend on controlling the nerves at crucial stages. Meanwhile, in the other quarterfinal of the day, the mighty Netherlands will take on hosts England. With inputs from PTI
Highlights, India vs Ireland, Women's hockey World Cup 2018 quarter-final: Ireland defeat India in shoot-out, book semi-final berth
Catch all the latest updates from the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup cross-over match between India and Ireland.
 "Highlights, India vs Ireland, Women's hockey World Cup 2018 quarter-final: Ireland defeat India in shoot-out, book semi-final berth")
That’s it from the World Cup
India fought all the way to the shoot-out
But couldn’t get past McFerran
Final scores:
Regulation time 0-0
Shootout 3-1
After a goalless 4 quarters
It went to the shoot-out
And the Irish held their nerves well
Winning 3-1
It’s also McFerran’s day with some wonderful goalkeeping
It is Ireland’s day
Amazing what they have achieved
3-1 victory for Ireland in the shoot-out
And Ireland have won
They are in the semi-final
One feels for India but the shoot-out should have been better. Yet India played gallantly
Ireland 2-0
Reena scores.
It’s 1-2
McFerran saves
Navjot can’t score
It’s 1-0
Upton scores.
It’s 1-0 in the shootout
Monica shoots out
Still goalless
Savita saves Anna’s shot
There is a referral
Looks clean
It’s clean
Savita saves the first
McFerran saves
No goals after the first two
Ireland to go first
Savita walking to the goal
Like all shoot-outs this would be crazy
And the GK’s come into the picture
McFerran from Ireland and Savita from India
And that’s the end of the match
It will be a shoot-out
Less than a minute
Can India run the clock down?
Less than 2 mins left
Ireland will make a massive push now
Surprising card that. Udita seemed five yards back.
India trying to hold.
Ireland pushing hard.
Udita gets a green card
India down to ten in the last 3 minutes
Will this prove expensive?
Final 5 minutes
Tense
Will there be a goal?
Vandana wanted a referral
And India has lost the referral
Video Umpire said no foul on Vandana
Six minutes left.
Siami had the ball and the pass but Navneet couldn’t trap
Suddenly the tempo is up
India trying to find a goal
Have better possession
Vandana had a chance but couldn’t release
On the other side Flanagan had an opening also
And Rani’s hit is saved by the Irish GK
Great opportunity goes up in smoke
PC for India after a referral
It’s India’s 1st PC
Scrappy affair now
It will take a special piece of skill to separate the teams
Turn-overs going to Ireland
Even with the ball, India don’t have players upfront
In that situation India need hits into the circle for a minute or so to test the Irish
It’s getting easy for the Irish defence
Almost a roll of the dice now in the 4th Q
No goals yet
Teams will pack their midfield and drop players back
Tense 15 mins left
And that’s the end of the 3rd Q
It’s still goalless
Three minutes left in the 3rd Q
India giving away too many turn-overs
India just doesn’t have any bodies upfront
It’s intense hockey but the pace is down
And Ireland does the aerial
But India defend
Ball back in the midfield
Six mins left in the 3rd Q
India doing a lot of running
Possession with Ireland
India will have to think of something
This is becoming predictable
India not infusing more energy
Maybe, a few aerials balls will scatter the Irish
Errors coming from the Indians now
Ireland sticking to the process
Building up
And always in the middle of action is Anna Flanagan
30 minutes left for a result
It will be tense
Which side will blink first is the question?
No PCs till now
None of the teams willing to risk an extra player in the midfield or the forward line
It’s been largely tactical
Ireland have tried through Flanagan
While India have used Goyal and Rani
But very tight structures in the defence
And that’s the end of the 2nd Q
It’s 0-0 between India and Ireland
India seem a little tense
Unable to use their skill to break through
Too much play on the right flank for India
Rotation missing in the Indian side
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