New Delhi: The Indian women's football team managed to hold a higher-ranked Vietnamese side to a 1-1 draw at the Vietnam National Training Centre ground in Hanoi on Wednesday.
Vietnam took the lead in the match but India hit back after the break to earn themselves a draw in the second FIFA international friendly. India had lost the first friendly 3-0.
Vietnam's Thai Thi Thao gave the lead to the hosts in the 39th minute but Ranjana Chanu scored in the 57th minute to help India play out a draw.
India had their first real chance around the half-hour mark when Dangmei Grace broke clear of the Vietnam defence, but her effort went wide of goal. Soon after, Aditi made a great save to thwart a counter-attack from the hosts.
India managed to get a free-kick from a dangerous position in the first half itself but striker Bala Devi's effort also went wide of the target. India went on to rue the missed chances, as Thai Thi Thao soon put Vietnam in the lead with six minutes left for the half-time whistle.
After the change of ends, Vietnam goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh was really put to the test by the visitors. She pulled off two crucial saves to keep her side in the lead - the first one was a close-range free-kick by attacker Sanju, while the second one was from a shot by centre back Sweety Devi, who had a crack at goal from a distance.
India eventually got the breakthrough that they were looking for when Ranjana Chanu was played through on goal by captain Ashalata Devi and the former made no mistake to slot home.
Head coach Maymol Rocky brought in Anju Tamang in place of Daya Devi around half an hour left on the clock. Sanju did have a chance late on from a close-range free-kick, but the ball flew wide of goal.
Comments
0 comment