Mumbai: With seconds left on the clock, Tessa Howard found some space inside the shooting circle. If there was a player England wanted in that position, it was her.
At the ongoing FIH Hockey World Cup, she had two goals to her name. In that moment, in the 59th minute of play, she looked poised to get her third. Needing at least a draw against world No.
Howard is a 27-year-old who was part of the England team that won the gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. 7 England, India kept the match goal-less to secure passage into the second round of the World Cup.
But India started as the more aggressive of the two teams, making more forays into the opposition half and getting more shots at goal. England needed the win and would have been quietly confident having beaten India 2-0 in the final of the World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad in March.
In September, the team will be in Japan for the Asian Games where a gold medal will ensure a spot at the 2028 Olympics. “As a team, we defended really well, we did not stop. Reaching this far in the World Cup is admirable for an Indian team that has a packed schedule ahead. By now though, the Indian women’s team have proven they are a big-match team.
“(Before the match) we had decided that we will fight for everything,” captain Salima Tete said after the match to the FIH.
“We are ready to fight for everything again in the next match,” Tete said.
