GUANGZHOU, Nov 24 (PTI): A listless India finished a disappointing fourth in the women�s hockey event of the Asian Games after going down to Japan 0-1 via golden goal in the bronze medal play-off match at the Aoti hockey field here today.
India, who claimed the bronze four years ago in Doha, were buried by Keiko Manabe�s 78th minute golden goal after both the sides failed to break the deadlock in regulation time.
With this win, Doha Games silver medallist Japan has managed to avoid the ignominy of finishing out of the medal bracket. The Indians, on the other hand, will be a disappointed lot and will return home empty handed after failing to defend their Doha bronze.
The win also ensured a clean slate for Japan against India in the quadrennial event after having beaten the Surinder Kaur-led side 3-0 in the group stages. In the bronze medal play-off tie today, the Indians displayed far from impressive hockey as Japan controlled the proceedings from the word go.
On more than one occasion, the Indians were undone by poor trapping and some sloppy defensive work, which resulted in as many as 10 penalty corners for Japan out of which they converted one.
To add to it, there was no co-ordination between the Indian midfield and forwardline and the girls were guilty of unnecessarily holding on to the ball.
