The Indian junior women’s hockey team suffered a narrow defeat against Chile in a tense encounter at the Four Nations Tournament in Rosario, Argentina, on Friday. After the match ended 2–2 in regulation time, India lost 1–3 in the ensuing shootout, marking their second defeat of the tournament.
Chile opened the scoring in the 27th minute through Jacinta Solari, who made no mistake in converting a penalty corner. India responded after the halftime break with Sukhveer Kaur levelling the scores in the 35th minute, also off a well-executed penalty corner.
Chile’s captain, Laura Muller, restored her team’s lead in the 42nd minute with a composed field goal, putting pressure back on the Indian side. But the young Indian team showed resilience as Kanika Siwach found the back of the net in the 47th minute, continuing her impressive scoring streak in the tournament and bringing India level once again.
The match remained tightly contested in the closing stages, but neither team could find a winner, forcing a shootout to decide the outcome. In the penalty shootout, Chile displayed superior composure, converting three of their attempts through Josefina Constanza Gutierrez, Isabel Leonor Messen, and Trinidad Antonia Barrios. India, on the other hand, managed just one successful strike, scored by Sonam.
Despite the loss, India showed promising signs, particularly in their ability to come back twice during regulation play. However, the shootout once again highlighted the need for improvement in high-pressure situations.
This result leaves India still searching for a win in the tournament, having played four matches so far. With their final match scheduled against Uruguay on June 1 (IST), the Indian team will be eager to finish their campaign on a positive note.
The Four Nations Tournament serves as an important exposure opportunity for the junior side, giving young players valuable international experience ahead of bigger competitions. As India continues to build a strong pool of talent for the future, matches like these play a critical role in the team’s long-term development.
