India vs England Women’s Hockey World Cup 2018 live updates

India, grouped in Pool B, face Olympic Champions England in their home ground on the opening day of the prestigious tournament.

Pic Courtesy: HockeyIndia

India take on Olympic Champions England in their opening  Pool B  match of the Vitality Women’s Hockey World Cup 2018 at the Lee Valley Hockey Center in London on Saturday. 

Here are the highlights from the match:

India 1-1 England!

# Full-time!

# Yellow card! India's Navneet picks up a yellow card for a bad foul. 

India 1-1 England!

# Goal!!! England equalise after Lily Owsley taps the ball in with an open blade. 

# England women win their eighth penalty corner. But Savita blocks the shot. Another penalty corner for England. 

# England draw a penalty corner. India's Monika picks up a green card. 

# Final quarter is underway!

Indian defenders survive the probing England attacks, keeping the scoreline intact at 1-0.  

# India 1-0 England!!

# End of 3rd quarter

# Skipper Alex Danson gets past a couple of defenders from the right-corner but goalkeeper Savita blocks her shot. 

# England hold majority of the possession but continue to finish poorly in the front. 

# India's Ansley makes a threatening run towards the Indian circle but fails to make the most of it. England desperately hunt for an equaliser here.

# The third Quarter is underway!!

India 1-0 England!

#Half-time

# Long corner for India but they give the ball away to England. What a nervy half this is turning out to be.  

India 1-0 England!

# GOAL!! India's Neha Goyal picks up a pass near the England goal and nets the first goal of the match. India take the lead. 

# Save!! Indian goalkeeper Savita dives to her right to make a brilliant save to deny Petty's shot from close range. 

# England's Suzy Petty splits the Indian defence with her dangerous run and draws England's fifth penalty corner. 

# Another penalty corner for England. The referee initially awarded a penalty stroke to England but reversed the decision after a successful review from India. 

# England's Alex Danson goes unmarked at a dangerous position but fires the shot wide. 

# England dominated in the first 15 minutes forcing India to defend deep. 

India 0-0 England!!

# End of 1st quarter

# England are moving around really well while Indian women hold a tight defence and are threatening on the counter. 

# Another penalty corner for England but they fail to capitalise as Indians clear the ball. 

# India concede a penalty corner in the early minutes of the match but defend strong. That was close.

# The first quarter is underway. 

The Indian Women’s Hockey team appear in their first World cup in eight years. They had finished ninth in their previous appearance in 2010 FIH World Cup in Argentina. 

Besides skipper Rani Rampal and defender Deepika, no other player in the squad has ever appeared at a World Cup before. 

"The pressure will be on England and not on us," asserted Indian captain Rani Rampal on the eve of the match. 

"We have had good match practice against two of the top teams in the World. The team is upbeat and excited ahead of the first match and right now, our only focus is to do well against England. We have played USA and Ireland too in the past and have a specific game plan against them. But for now, our focus is on the first match," Rani said. 

Full Squad: 

India: Savita (VC), Rajani Etimarpu, Sunita Lakra, Deep Grace Ekka, Deepika, Gurjit Kaur, Reena Khokhar. Namita Toppo, Lilima Minz, Monika, Neha Goyal, Navjot Kaur, Nikki Pradhan, Rani Rampal (C), Vandana Katariya, Navneet Kaur, lalremsiami, Udita.

England Squad: Giselle Ansley, Grace Balsdon, Sophie Bray, Alex Danson (C), Sarah Haycroft, Maddie Hinch, Kathryn Lane, Hannah Martin, Lily Owsley, Hollie Pearne-Webb, Suzy Petty, Jo Hunter, Ellie Rayer, Amy Tennant, Anna Toman, Susannah Townsend, Laura Unsworth, Ellie Watton. 

(With Agency inputs)