HYDERABAD, INDIA: England defeated India 2-0 in the final of the ongoing FIH World Cup Qualifiers 2026 (women) at the Gachibowli Hockey Stadium in the city on Saturday, March 14. Grace Baldson (13′) and Elizabeth Neal (43′) scored for the visitors.
Although both sides have already qualified for the main event, this victory gives England bragging rights over their opponents as well as the merit of having won the qualifying tournament.
Defender Baldson gave England the lead in the 13th minute of the game from a penalty corner. India, strangely, the more submissive of the two sides in the first half, started playing out from the back, only to fall short at the final hurdle of converting their chances.
England’s sin bin remained unvarnished even as the hosts unsuccessfully contested two penalty corners in the first half (2′, 23′). England’s more domineering style of play paid rich dividends as it left the hosts divided over their course of action.
India’s course-correction of approaching from the flanks did not pay off
Sjoerd Marijne’s girls, working hard to beat the English midfield, had to course-correct and started approaching the goal from the flanks, only to fall short at the final hurdle consistently.
India won another penalty corner in the 36th minute but could not convert that either. Neal doubled England’s lead in the 43rd minute with a tap-in that foxed the Indian defenders and goalkeeper Bichu Devi, between whose feet the ball virtually slipped past.
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