The India women's hockey team failed to qualify for the quarter-final, going down 5-0 to Argentina in their last group game on Saturday. With this loss, they finished bottom of Group B with one draw and four losses in five games.
India started the game brightly and restricted their Argentine counterparts to 0-0 at the end of the first quarter. However, Gabriel Minadeo’s team broke the deadlock immediately after the start of the second half from a penalty corner. Indian shot-stopper Savita Punia saved the corner, but Martina Cavallero was at hand to bundle home the rebound.
After that, the floodgates opened as Argentina scored their second of the game in the 23rd minute from another penalty corner through Maria Granatto. It was not long before Argentina scored their third goal in the 26th minute when skipper Carla Rebecchi rippled the back of the net from yet another penalty corner.
Argentina then added another to their tally within a minute of the third goal as Agustina Albertario got her name on the scoresheet after a lightning-fast counter-attack. Before the end of the quarter, Cavallero, who was standing unmarked at the far post, notched her second goal of the game to make the scoreline 5-0.
India finished last in the table and will have to look for answers after a forgettable show. However, the team should be proud, having made a comeback to the Olympics after 36 years.
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