Birmingham — It will be England v Australia in the Commonwealth Games women’s final, but controversy reigned in the second shoot-out of the evening as India were seemingly put off their stride after the eight second clock failed to start for the Hockeyroos’ opener.
After the game was locked at 1-1 after normal time, Rosie Malone missed her first take, Savita saving. But she was allowed to retake her shoot-out by the umpires after the timer hadn’t started, despite the Australian initially being allowed to run.
Malone calmly slotted her home her second attempt before Lalremsiami missed, as did her team-mates, and Australia then advanced to the final, the Hockeyroos slotting home three efforts in all through Kaitlin Nobbs and Amy Lawton.
India coach Janneke Schopman said: “The umpires don’t understand the decision, no-one understands the decision; it’s people who don’t understand sport who make those decisions, so it’s what I struggle with.
“They were fine, they understood that they missed. They can take 10 seconds for all I care.
“They weren’t complaining, so I don’t understand why you have to make that decision.”
Australia had opened the scoring in the 16th minute after Rebecca Greiner scored from an Australian counter.
Australia held the advantage (23 shots to India’s nine, which included a barren run of 11 PCs) until Vandana Katariya restored parity 11 minutes from time. It was the first time the Hockeyroos had conceded in five games.
India will now face New Zealand in the bronze medal contest.
India captain Savita said: “In my career it’s the first time that’s happened that we saved and they said the time is not on. This is not good for the players – it’s tough.”
Victory for Australia, the World Cup bronze medallists, means they enter a fifth final in seven editions in the women’s event. They also atoned for their Olympic quarter-final defeat against the Eves.
Lawton, one of the shoot-out scorers, said: “It was intense. It was teamwork out there and a hard-fought game.
“It’s always hard against India who are a great team but stoked to come out with the win.”
