India beat Japan 2-0, to face China in final of women's ACT hockey
Rajgir (Bihar), Nov 19: Defending champions India continued their unbeaten run and defeated Japan 2-0 to enter the final of the women's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Tuesday.
Vice-captain Navneet Kaur converted a penalty stroke in the 48th minute while Lalaremsiami struck from field play in the 56th minute for India, who had plenty of scoring chances including 13 penalty corners.
India will face China, whom they defeated in the league stages, in the final on Wednesday. Earlier, China beat Malaysia 3-1 in the first semifinal.
Malaysia will take on Japan in the third-fourth place match, while Korea finished fifth after beating Thailand 3-0 in the fifth-sixth place classification match.
The Indians continued their attacking game and put on early pressure on the Japanese defence, just like the last league game.
The play was mostly inside the Japanese half as the Indian defence was hardly tested.
India had the first shot at the goal inside the initial five minute. Skipper Salima Tete's attempt was thwarted by Japanse goalkeeper Yu Kudo.
The Indians repeatedly penetrated the Japanese citadel and in the process secured two penalty corners in a span of two minutes but Kudo was alert under the bar to deny Navneet Kaur and Deepika.
Three minutes into the second quarter, India secured three back-to-back penalty corners but failed to find the back of the net.
It was raining penalty corners for the hosts as they got back-to-back set pieces in the 21st minute but Kudo produced a brilliant save with her fully-stretched right leg to deny Deepika again.
In the 24th minute, India earned a penalty corner followed by another in the next minute but failed to get past Japanese goalkeeper Kudo, as they also lacked in execution.
A minute after the change of ends, India secured two penalty corners but wasted both.
In the 35th minute, Kodu again denied Deepika from a set piece.
In the 41st minute, Deepika stole the ball just outside the Japanese circle, but shot wide from a one-on-one situation with Kudo.
Seconds from the end of third quarter, Kudo once again pulled off a brilliant save to deny Udita from another penalty corner.
In the 47th minute, India secured their 12th penalty corner but failed to breach Kudo.
But a minute later, India broke the deadlock through a penalty stroke earned by Deepika and Navneet made no mistake.
The goal seemed to have rejuvenated the Indians as they scored a fine field goal in the 56th minute.
Lalremsiami slammed into the back of the Japanese goal after she was brilliantly set up by Sunelita Toppo's terrific run from the right flank.
Japan got a penalty corner in the dying moments, but failed to get past a rock solid Indian defence.
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Rocket from Yemen strikes Tel Aviv, injuring 16, as Palestinians mourn 19 dead in Gaza
Tel Aviv, Dec 21: A rocket fired from Yemen hit an area of Tel Aviv overnight, leaving 16 people slightly injured by shattered glass, the Israeli military said Saturday, days after Israeli airstrikes hit Houthi rebels who have been launching missiles in solidarity with Palestinians.
A further 14 people sustained minor injuries as they rushed to shelters when air raid sirens sounded before the projectile hit just before 4 am Saturday, the military said.
The Houthi rebels issued a statement on the Telegram messaging app saying they had aimed a hypersonic ballistic missile at a military target, which they did not identify.
The attack comes less than two days after a series of Israeli airstrikes on Yemen's Houthi rebel-held capital, Sanaa, and port city of Hodeida killed at least nine people. The Israeli strikes were in response to a Houthi attack in which a long-range missile hit an Israeli school building. The Houthis also claimed a drone strike targeting an unspecified military target in central Israel on Thursday.
The Israeli military says the Iran-backed Houthis have launched more than 200 missiles and drones during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The Houthis have also been attacking shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and say they won't stop until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Israeli strikes Thursday caused “considerable damage” to the Houthi-controlled Red Sea ports “that will lead to the immediate and significant reduction in port capacity,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. The port at Hodeida has been key for food shipments into Yemen in its decade-long civil war.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said both sides' attacks risk further escalation in the region and undermine UN mediation efforts.
