Erratic India unequal to New Zealand, goes down 0-7.
Indians would not have liked to start their campaign with a 0-7 drubbing by rival who was till a couple of years were just an equal side, but the fragile nature of Indian women came to the fore today in the opening match of the much talked about Hockey World League Round 3 at Rotterdam.
Ritu Rani’s girls played a patchy game and were error prone, leaving New Zealand to have a field day on the field of play, that too at will. Sharper in shooting and meticulous in moves, NZ did not allow India to bounce back anytime in the match.
India conceded, surprisingly, three self goals (though offcially only one), after that the Kiwis came on their own with spectacular field goals.
New Zealand led India 4-0 at half time, and then added three more in the next half.
Despite contesting successfully a goal award against them, India had to finish first half at 0-4, as New Zealand built up good moves, and matched it with goals.
India earned only a penalty corner which was also proved abortive as the shot could not be taken due to faulty stop, and with that had to counter two fast counter attacks.
India played well only the first 10.12 minutes of second half. In that spell, a Chanchan Devi’s good forehand seemed to have given Indian a consolation goal, which would have otherwise too changed the gear and fortune of the game, but it did not survive NZ referral.
The ball was considered rising.
Earlier, the ball found home in the 35th minute after the first penalty corner drill, but the Indians successfully contested it on referral.
These details are academic, as the fact is Indian women were woefully underprepared and unequal to New Zealand.
Indians were initially error prone, conceded goals due to their own mistakes, and once the mistakes went on the Kiwis grew in stature and punished each mistake of Indian with a goal.