Indian forwards misfired. Koreans waited patiently. Indian shooters went inside the circle as a routine, had enough pleasure just being there. Some penalty corners came very late on a barren land, still did not merit seriousness from India. Fitter India was not better today, but surely, India has three points. That is, if crucial, what it matters. India labours to defeat slow paced Koreans 2-1.
India waited for a goal from Nikkin three minutes from the hooter to emerge winner. But it doesn’t do any good for a professional side like India, which even dreams medal at Rio, to fritter away a dozen gilt edged chances.
Helped by decent defence, India maintained a clean slate at half time. But it had every reason not to be happy at that halftime scoreline.
Talwinder Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Danish Mujtaba, Mandeep Singh and more just gave away, caved in, with gem of feeds.
They were slow inside D, not sharp to collect, trap, effect shots. They fumbled with chances especially in the TEN minutes spell that came after initial, mandatory exploratory 7,8 minutes.
See below how India missed out to take lead when dominated.
Min 22: Akashdeep passes from midfield to Sunil on the left, but far off to him, a good defence splitting move wasted Others Delete
Min 19: Nikkin gets a great minus from left, but carried just only to beat gk Others Delete
Min19: Pardeep Mor on the right leads challenge from right, tripeed on the edge of D, lot of action from India but not fruitful for India though Others Delete
Min 18 Sunil, changing position from right to left, sweeps the ball into D, hits goalie, rebound not collected, India misses many chances Others Delete
Min: 17 Talwinder gets a feed from Manpreet, Talwinder inside D surprised, halfhearted stop, still managed to retrieve near right backline, dribbles and leaves it beyond backline, Others Delete
Min16: Manpreet could not keep his cross from left flank low. Attack fizzles out Others Delete
Min 15: Another counter from India, but loose ball into D, no forward to receive, gk clears Others Delete
14: SK Uthappa serves a platter for Talwinder, who fumbles a foot away from goaline, leaving gk to kick out, third good attempt in as many as minutes.
12 Danish surges into D from left, India attacks, shortly after a close range cross into D from Pardeep, but Danish slow, fails to trap and tap, another chance wasted.
India should have finished its task well within first 20 minutes, but dragged with wayward shooting in the circle.
When Sunil struck late, a big relief was there
But it short-lived.
A long push was cleverly deflected in for equalizer 1-1.
With a patient defensive game, and relying only on aerial balls for attacks, Koreans came within their objective of drawing reigning Asian Champions.
However in the same minute, Nikkin tapped in a diagonal from Talwinder to give his team full points, and the second win in four matches.
This is as of now what matters.
But we are sure the coach Roelant Oltmans will be worrying on our forwards