Followers of hockey of a certain vintage would remember that it was South Africa who denied Indian women their first visit to an Olympics in 32 years. In the qualifying tournament in Delhi, they beat the home team 3-1 in a winner-takes-all clash in 2012. South Africa weren’t considered one of the fancied teams in women’s hockey even then.

That the group match between the two teams at the 2026 FIH World Cup was seen mainly as a chance for India to boost their goal difference says everything about the contrasting paths the two teams have taken over the last decade and a half. In that sense, the 6-1 win for Sjoerd Marijne’s side was on expected lines, and India now have to avoid defeat against England on Thursday to make the next round.

After failing to qualify for London 2012, India reached Rio 2016. South Africa fell short of that one, though India returned from it winless, finishing last among 12 teams. Tokyo was a different story, a memorable campaign that took them to the semi-finals and had them threatening a medal.

India were always favourites going into Tuesday’s contest in Amsterdam, especially after holding China to a 2-2 draw in their first game, while South Africa were thrashed 4-0 by England.

They took a quarter to find their rhythm, but after breaking the deadlock through a scrappy Sunelita Toppo goal in the 11th minute, they quickly put daylight between themselves and their opponents. The South Africans were often their own worst enemies, with sloppy turnovers in midfield and a failure to clear the ball from their defensive circle at the first opportunity.

They have players who catch the eye with pace and skill, Onthatile Zulu and Bianco Wood among them, but the fact that they couldn’t trap the ball cleanly at the top of the circle on two of their three penalty corners pointed to the gulf in class between the sides.

Six different Indians scored on the day, which will please the team management, but Navneet was the standout again. It was she who settled any anxiety within the team when she doubled India’s lead from a penalty corner, choosing not to take a direct shot at goal but instead moving the ball to her side, creating space and drilling a low finish past Marlise van Tonder in the South African goal.

Story continues below this ad

Sushila Chanu made the game safe, a 3-0 lead at half-time taking the pressure off India, who could then focus on pushing their goal difference above England’s, after England had lost 4-2 to China earlier in the day.

Three more goals, all reverse hits, from Deepika, Lalremsiami and Sakshi Rana, put five clear goals between the sides. Kayla de Waal got South Africa’s first goal of the campaign with five minutes left, but it was little more than a consolation.

There was a moment of concern in the final minute when de Waal’s trailing stick, at the edge of the Indian circle, struck Ishika Chaudhary, who left the field with blood running from her head.