It took long time for the Indian girls to return to the dug out. First, the eleven players celebrated as if the title is won. Then they moved to where the goalie was waiting for them. Hugging, embracing, laughter, holding the other, even lifting……were all there. Then the players from the bench burst out and reached out to them, along with the coaching staff as well. Then girls in a spurt of moment walked across the turf to reach out to the stands. Here were about a hundred Indian supporters with tricolour, who were lending full throat during the entire match. Selfie sessions over. One can understand the joy of the girls on the turf. As coach Marinje Sjoerd rightly said that the win is an emotional issue even for him.
Indian girls have beaten China, a hockey powere that not long ago ranked at least ten rungs above India. India will be playing the finals on Saturday. Indian girls have won five matches in trot, like Singapore Asian Champions Trophy, lat Asia Cup. But the stage in Jakarta bears much more significance than any of the tournaments the women team played in the recent years.
The victors deserve every applause that came their way.
But the fact of the matter is that they did not play their normal game today. Mis-passes, unfored errors are a galore. The same team that tore the structured Korean team 4-1, even striking three goals in less than one and half minutes, found wanting in everything they did today. Not a great game though they could get a great result.
What went wrong? Why were so they disorganized? The same hands that wove patterns to lord over the rivals were seen indugling in individual play.
Yes, individual brilliance led to many penalty corners, but a clean direct game, which they showcased against teams like South Korea would have got them better result.
India played a pathetic second quarter after an even first session.
“Yes I told the girls. Its your time. Not easy to get another chance likes this during the lemon time.
India put the Chinese machine under check, as if to listen to the coach, and controlled the entire second half. But when goals were not coming? Individual play and uncharacteristic disorganization.
“Indian game today was very much predictable. Their defence was not clean today”. It was anybody’s game, it went their way”, Meulders, the Chinese coach said post – match.
It actually doesn’t need a endorsement from the rival coach. It was obvious for everybody.
The honest opinion of today’s India is that they had a bad day but won a crucial match.
The result will count, process will be at discount.
India need to play a bit more patient game; improve penalty corner skills. The forwards were unselfish, but wayward. India need not show any panicky simply because they are the best team here.
To maintain that image, that perception, that kind of adulation, the girls need to be more disciplined on the field.