A timely hat-trick from forward Vandana Katariya kept the India women's hockey team's medal hopes alive at the ongoing 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the Indian outfit edged out South Africa 4-3 in a thrilling Pool A encounter in Tokyo on Saturday. India's qualification hopes now rest on the shoulders of Great Britain, who must defeat or hold Ireland for a draw, which will pave India's way into the quarter-finals.
Ireland, who have three points from four games, currently have a superior goal difference of -5 against India's -7, who now has six points from all their five matches. A victory for Ireland will mean they will have six points from five matches and a superior goal difference will hand them the fourth and final spot in Pool A, behind Netherland (12 points), Germany (12 Points; behind on goal difference), Great Britain (6 points). South Africa are placed bottom with five losses out of five.
Vandana's goals came in the 4th, 17th and 49th minutes of the match while the other Indian goal was scored by Neha Goyal in the third quarter as India lost their lead thrice after taking lead four times in the match which saw goal-a-side in every quarter. To South Africa's credit, the bottom-placed team responded strongly after falling behind multiple times. South Africa's goals came from the sticks of Tarryn Glasby (15th), skipper Erin Hunter (30th) and Marizen Marais (39th).
