India beat Japan 4-0 to win women's Asian Champions Trophy hockey title
Ranchi, Nov 5: Playing exhilarating hockey from the word go, an aggressive Indian women's team crushed title holders Japan 4-0 to lift its second Asian Champions Trophy title here on Sunday.
The match started 50 minutes late because of issues with the floodlights.
India overcame the two-time champions through goals from Sangita Kumari (17th minute), Neha (46th), Laremsiami (57th) and Vandana Katariya (60th).
India won their maiden Asian Champions Trophy title in 2016 in Singapore, while Japan bagged the crown twice, in 2013 and 2021.
The Indians started on an attacking note while Japan preferred to sit back and rely on counter attacks.
India got a golden opportunity to take lead but Deepika failed to find the net from an one-on-one situation with Japanese goalkeeper Akio Tanaka.
The Indians continued to dominate the possession as Japan were busy in defending.
The Japanese too had their share of chances but they failed to breach the resolute Indian defence.
Two minutes into the second quarter, India took the lead through Sangita who scored with a high hit after being fed by Neha Goyal.
The Indians continued their relentless attacks on the Japanese goal but failed to get the finishing touch.
Japan found the net in the second quarter through Shiho Kobayakawa but the goal was disallowed after India asked for referral for a body contact when the ball was received.
The Japanese upped their ante in the second quarter with continuous attacks but the Indian defence stood tall.
In the 25th minute, Japan secured three back-to-back penalty corners but the Indians defended in numbers to deny their opponents.
It was a neck-and-neck fight between the two teams after the change of ends with both India and Japan pressing hard for goals.
But goals eluded them in the third quarter as the defence of both the sides were up to the task.
The Indians came out all guns blazing in the fourth quarter and pressed hard on the Japanese goal, and their efforts bore fruit.
A minute into the fourth quarter, India secured three consecutive penalty corners. Neha scored from Deep Grace's hit.
India continued to put pressure on the Japanese defence, which resulted in success when in the 57th minute Lalremsiami scored from a rebound after Udita's initial strike from a penalty corner was saved by the Japanese keeper.
Just before the final hooter, Vandana registered her name in the score sheet, scoring a fine field goal as the Indians recorded an emphatic victory.
Earlier in the day, Asian Games champions China beat South Korea 2-1 to secure the third place.
Yi Chen (3rd minute) and Tiantian Luo (47th) scored for the winners while Sujin An (38th) found the target for Korea.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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