India vs Germany HIGHLIGHTS, FIH Olympic Qualifiers SF: IND 2-2 GER; India loses 4-3 in shootout, to face Japan for Paris spot

Germany has done it! An edge-of-the-seat thriller to book a spot for Paris Olympics. 

India looks shattered. It should too, given it had the chance to win it with a two-shot advantage in the shootout. It is now down to the bronze-medal match against Japan for Janneke Schopman’s side to make a final attempt at the quadrennial games.

That’s it from our side! We’ll be back with the bronze-medal match on Friday. Until then, it’s goodbye!

The scores of the shootout will read IND-GER.

Germany to go first.

0-0: Linnea Weidemann sends her shot wide.

1-0: India leads. Sangita converts her chance.

1-1: Zimmermann comes in next for German. She has to take a reverse hit but is able to find the board.

2-1: Sonika runs around the keeper and hits the board. But the German takes a referral asking whether the time had lapsed. Sonika is well within the eight seconds and India has the lead again.

2-1: SAVED! Savita saves the shot from Schroder. Sticks out her right leg to stop the shot.

2-1: Navneet misses the shot but we will have a retake due to a foul from Sonntag. The retake too goes wide. 

2-2: Nike Lorenz equalises. She comes up to the keeper and scoops it over Savita.

2-2: Neha misses! She hits a shot straight at the keeper and Sonntag is able to save it.

3-2: Germany leads! Lisa Nolte nutmegs Savita to score.

3-3: IT IS SUDDEN DEATH! Lalremsiami converts the chance.

3-3: Sangita misses! The shot is saved by Sonntag.

If Germany scores, it is through to Paris.

3-3: Zimmermann scores but Savita has asked for a referral. Savita saved the first shot but the rebound is sent over the round. The TV umpire thinks it is a foul and the contest continus.

3-3: Sonika misses. She tries to turn her back to the keeper and then shuffle to open space. She slips and the ball runs away.

3-4: GERMANY WINS! Lisa Nolte with a no-look nutmeg on Savita. Remarkable scenes!

WOW! India has forced a penalty shootout! Mind-boggling scenes in Ranchi. We have no clear result after the designated 60 minutes. Germany dominated for the greater part. It got the goal it needed. But just as it thought the contest was done, India came back with Ishika’s goal.

INDIA HAS GONE LEVEL! The first drag flick is saved by the keeper. But the injector Ishika is waiting for a deflection. She traps it cleanly and puts it into the net.

The first corner is saved but India will have another try for a dangerous ball.

India has gone up for a referral, appealing for a penalty corner. The ball was swiped in by Ishika. There is indeed a German foot, Huse’s, the replays show. 

INDIA WINS A PC! 

A circle entry for India through the left wing. But there is an Indian foot on the way and the attack ends.

GOAL! GERMANY PULLS AHEAD! Stapenhorst shoots from the right to beat Savita. She steals the ball from Sonika and packs a thunderous shot at goal.

India is back to full strength after Salima Tete’s yellow card suspension is complete. 

A fantastic block from Nisha to stop a pass from Davidsmeyer on the right side of goal. 

Lena Micheel rides out from the back after winning the ball from an Indian stick.

A chance at the other end. Udita has a sight at goal but misses the first shot. German defenders crowd her out and the second shot never comes.

Chance gone! Germany goes for a variation where the final drag flick is set up for Zimmermann. The Indian runners catch up by the time and block the attempt.

Germany has taken a referral for a foot in the circle. It is appealing for a penalty corner.

Deepika is the player in question and the TV umpire confirms there was a foot. A PC for Germany.

A yellow card for Salima Tete. India will be a player short for the next five minutes.

SAVED! Deepika hits a shot right at the centre of goal from a one-versus-one situation. A super simple save for Julia Sonntag. Superb inside pass from Neha to feed Deepika. How costly will that miss prove?

Nisha does well to first intercept a pass in her own circle and then dribble it out of danger.

Vaishnavi Phalke is down on the ground after a tackle at the edge of the German circle.

Goalless in the third quarter but there was a clear aggressor who emerged. Germany will now go for the kill in the final period.

CHANCE! Stapenhorst and Cecila Pieper combine to nearly put the Germans ahead. The former had to simply tap the ball into the net at the far post but hits it into the side netting. Savita Punia is fuming at the Indian defence as the 3rd quarter comes to a close.

Neha intercepts a diagnol pass from Selin Oruz on the right side of the Indian circle.

Nike Lorenz has a half-chance at goal but the Indians quickly crowd her out and force her wide. 

SAVED! Indian captain is called into action. Stapenhorst and Schroder combine to open up the space for a shot which the latter takes. A simple stop for Savita.

Selin Oruz is able to dribble her way into the Indian cirlce before her square pass is thwarted by an Indian stick.

Nikki Pradhan with a fantastic double tackle on the right side of the Indian defence. She launches on a counter, but a pass fired in her direction up the field runs out of play.

Navneet and Sonika combine on the left flank to win a free hit. India eventually gets a free hit too which is wasted after an inaccurate pass from Navneet.

CHANCE! Neha concedes a sloppy free hit. Anne Schroder drives into the circle and unleashes a reverse-stick hit. The ball just misses the far post.

Deepika’s run is stopped by a tackle just as she is about to enter the German circle.

A free hit for India at the edge of the circle. But it again does not yield a shot at goal for the home team.

India keeps the ball high up the pitch and close to the German circle. Yet, there is no cler attempt at goal.

A long corner for India in the first minute after the resumption. Navneet fires a pass in the circle which gets a German deflection.

Germany with the possession to begin the third period.

So the goal comes from Germany which ensures the match is swinging in the balance at half-time. It was Germany who had the more meaningful attacks and that finally paid off in the 12th minute of the quarter. Task cut out for Schopman & Co at the break.

A clean switch of the flank by Germany before finally making way into the circle. But an Indian defender is able to trap the ball in the centre of the circle to stop the attack.

Kira Horn wins a free hit at the edge of the Indian circle on the right wing.

Germany is level! Charlotte Stapenhorst gets the goal! She has the ball with her back facing the goal. She protects the ball, makes a 180-degree turn and fires a shot. She manages to beat Savita Punia too.

Sonika has a bit of space around the centre of the pitch. She goes full throttle on a run before a checked tackle takes the ball off her.

India sticking to pressing the German ball carrier. This has made sure the Germans do not get any time on the ball.

Lena Micheel misses a shot into the circle and India gets a free hit for a dangerous stick swing.

Sonja Zimmermann is able to venture into the Indian circle from the left but then concedes a free hit.

Deepika with a run down the middle but the Indians eventually hand the possession back to Germany, failing to make a circle entry.

A green card for Selin Oruz for a tackle on Lalremsiami. She will be out of action for the next two minutes.

A melee in front of the German goal. A shot comes at goal which is blocked by Selin Oruz.

Sangita does it again! She again picks the pocket of Lena Micheel high up the pitch to get a circle entry. A long corner for India.

Sangita wins the ball high up the pitch and enters the circle. She goes for a tomahawk which is stopped a German stick.

India has been able to stay organised at the back and keep Germany at bay. How much longer will India’s resistance last? We will find out in the second quarter.

India has to clear another attack from Germany before the hooter for the first quarter blows.

GOAL! INDIA LEADS! A drag flick from Deepika sneaks between the keeper’s leg. Simply too much pace on the shot to be stopped.

India has a penalty corner. Neha traps the ball and then finds the foot of Pauline Heinz.

Navneet with a vital interception in the centre of the field.

An aerial ball aimed at Charlotte Stapenhorst in the Indian circle but it has too much weight and runs over the line.

SAVED! Savita Punia stands upight and saves the ball with her right foot. The clearance is prompt too and the scoreline stays 0-0.

A penalty corner for Germany. It comes on a counter attack.

Navneet slaps the ball into the circle which thuds the board, but the deflection is not in the circle and India has to fall back.

Deepika with another dart down the left flank. India is able to make its first circle penetration but without any potential threat at goal.

Deepika tries to foray from the left wing only to get the ball stolen by Viktoria Huse.

Kira Horn has the ball at the top of the Indian circle but an Indian stick comes in just in time to get the ball ricochet off Horn’s foot and get a free hit.

India’s first attempt at entering the circle down the middle sees the ball intercepted.

India is able to fight it out on the free hit and get hold of the ball.

A penalty corner awarded to Germany. A circle entry for Germany from the left side. Sonja Zimmermann plays the ball in but the decision is later changed to a free hit just outside the circle.

India gets the ball rolling from the half way line.

Germany, in all whites, and the Women in Blue make their way to the centre for the national anthems.

Valentin Altenburg: Playing India in India, it does not get bigger than this. Now we start. We will run and fight and give everything today. 

Janneke Schopman: Germany is a very good team. We have played them in a practice match here. We have to show up today and fighting.

Played: 7 | Germany: 5 | India: 2

Won 3-0 vs Chile

Drew 1-1 vs Japan

Won 10-0 vs Czech Republic

Lost 0-1 vs USA 

Won 3-1 vs New Zealand

Won 5-1 vs Italy

The USA team beat Japan 2-1 in the first semifinal to not only advance to the final but also book a place at the Paris Olympics in July.

Julia Sonntag (GK), Nike Lorenz, Selin Oruz, Benedetta Wenzel, Anne Schroder, Lena Micheel, Charlotte Stapenhorst, Sonja Zimmermann, Pauline Heinz, Emma Davidsmeyer, Viktoria Huse.

Savita Punia (GK), Monika, Nikki Pradhan, Sangita Kumari, Nisha, Udita, Lalremsiami, Jyoti, Navneet Kaur, Salima Tete, Neha.

The India vs Germany FIH Women’s Olympic Qualifiers semifinal will be telecast live on Sports18 from 7:30PM IST.

The match can also be live streamed on JioCinema.