The Odisha Warriors faced a narrow 3-2 defeat against the Delhi SG Pipers in a thrilling Women’s Hockey India League (HIL) match on Thursday. The game was decided in a penalty shootout after both teams remained locked at 1-1 during regulation time. Skipper Neha Goyal of the Odisha Warriors attributed the loss to her team’s inability to convert scoring opportunities, despite creating multiple chances throughout the game.

The Delhi SG Pipers displayed remarkable composure, with their goalkeeper Elodie Picard proving to be the star of the match, making critical saves during the penalty shootout to secure the victory for her team. Goals from Navneet Kaur in the 28th minute and Yibbi Jansen in the 35th minute ensured the match went into a nail-biting shootout.

The SG Pipers began the match with early aggression, focusing their attacks on the left flank. Their skipper Navneet Kaur created the first major chance in the eighth minute, but her slapshot across the goal failed to find a finishing touch from Geeta Yadav. In response, the Odisha Warriors showed their attacking intent, with Sakshi Rana threading an excellent pass to Michelle Fillet, whose effort was denied by a stunning save from Bichu Devi. Sakshi created another opportunity soon after, but Shileima Chanu’s sharp defensive awareness averted the danger.

The Pipers broke the deadlock in the 28th minute after relentless pressure. A brilliant run by Preeti Dubey earned them a penalty stroke, which Navneet Kaur converted with precision, placing the ball into the bottom-left corner to give her side a 1-0 lead. However, the Odisha Warriors came back strong in the second half, winning a penalty corner in the 34th minute. While the initial attempt was saved on the goal line, Yibbi Jansen made no mistake with the second opportunity, executing a powerful drag-flick to equalize at 1-1.

Both teams pushed hard in the remaining minutes, creating chances but failing to capitalize. Navneet Kaur missed a penalty corner for the SG Pipers in the 41st minute, and Jansen came close to scoring her second goal, only to be denied by a brilliant save from Bichu Devi. In the final quarter, both teams faced setbacks, with yellow cards reducing their numbers. Lily Owsley of the SG Pipers and Neha Goyal of the Odisha Warriors were sent off in the 49th minute, creating temporary numerical disadvantages.

Despite winning a penalty corner in the final minute, the SG Pipers could not find the decisive goal, as Jocelyn Bartram blocked Stephanie De Groof’s strike. This led to the penalty shootout, where both goalkeepers, Bartram and Picard, were in exceptional form, making multiple saves. The shootout came down to the final attempt, with Odisha’s Freeke Moes attempting to score but being brilliantly thwarted by Picard. Moes appealed for a penalty stroke, but the TV umpire upheld the on-field decision, confirming the SG Pipers’ second win of the season.

Neha Goyal, while expressing disappointment, acknowledged the strong performance of the SG Pipers and emphasized her team’s readiness for the finals. She assured fans of a better performance in upcoming matches as the Odisha Warriors aim to refine their finishing and capitalize on their chances.

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