Deepak did the trick, says elated coach Brasa
New Delhi, Oct. 10: Indian hockey coach Jose Brasa credited India’s 7-4 win over Pakistan on Sunday to the man who was sitting and watching the proceedings from the stands.
Striker Deepak Thakur — architect of India’s 7-4 win over Pakistan during the Champions Trophy in Amsterdam — gave tips to the Indian coach to counter their neighbours.
Said Brasa after the match, “We put in a plan according to what Deepak had told us. He said it would be appropriate to attack from the left as Pakistan wouldn’t be able to withstand pressure. The tip helped us a lot as we asked the team to work accordingly.”
“We did lose a little bit of our momentum when Pakistan scored two quick goals but we regrouped after the break. We are glad that in the end we made the Indian public happy.”
Rehan backs India
It was a heart-breaking day for Pakistan’s Rehan Butt, but the striker said he would now like to see India go the full distance.
“All strategies come to nought when India and Pakistan play each other. It was a thriller, and only emotions came into play. I think our players failed to take the crowd pressure,” Butt said, adding, “Now, I would like India to win the gold ahead of teams like Australia and England.”