Vandana Katariya scored a sensational hat-trick for Team India to finish off the South Africa's Women's Hockey team's hopes at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday morning.
South Africa fought valiantly with three goals of their own, but Neha Goyal's solitary strike along with Katariya's hat-trick condemned the African champions to a 4-3 defeat.
It was their last Pool A clash of the competition and meant South Africa return winless after five matches.
South Africa and India served up an end-to-end encounter to close out the group stage of Tokyo for both sides. Our ladies fought back three times but just could'nt level for the fourth.
— SA Hockey (@SA_Hockey) July 31, 2021
Its been superb being back at the Olympic Games
📸 @FIH_Hockey #hockeyinvites #tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/ORmTRrGvsr
It was a gripping contest, though, with South Africa equalising on three occasions through Tarryn Glasby, captain Erin Hunter and Marizen Marais.
However, the incessant pressure India extered on the South African goal started to take its toll with Quanita Bobbs and Lilian du Plessis receiving green cards in the third quarter.
With the South Africans running out of legs in the intense Tokyo morning heat, it gave India and Katariya the opportunity to land the killer blow in the fourth and final quarter.
India now have an opportunity to progress to the quarter-finals, but first need to wait on the outcome of match between Ireland and Great Britain.
IOL Sport