Olympic qualification: Indian women's hockey team keeps Rio dream alive

India kept their Olympic qualification dreams alive by beating lower-ranked Italy in the shoot-out in a classification match of the women's Hockey World League Semi-finals on Thursday.

The Indian hockey eves, ranked 13 in the world, prevailed 5-4 over world rank 16 Italy in the shoot-out of the first play-off match for the fifth to eighth positions, after both the teams were locked at 1-1 at the end of the regulation 60 minutes. India failed to capitalise on numerous opportunities during the regulation time. The ensuing shoot-out also failed to break the deadlock as both the teams scored four times each from their five shots and the contest went to sudden-death. The victory takes India into the play-off for the fifth and sixth spot on Saturday, where they will face the winner of the another classification contest between Belgium and Japan.

Three Olympic spots are on offer in this tournament, but even some teams not advancing to the semifinals are likely to qualify as five continental champions might have already books a ticket to Rio de Janeiro. India's only previous appearance in the women's hockey tournament of the Olympics was in 1980.