Time to convert good play into results feels coach Paul van Ass

Despite going down to 1-2 against New Zealand in the second match of the Sultan Azlan Cup, Indian coach Paul van Ass feels India played a good match and were better than their opponents.

“I thought we played a good match. Especially the way we started our first quarter. We were really pressing them and giving them a hard time” Van Ass said.

“I felt we had the better part of the match. Unfortunately, in the last six minutes, we got a corner and it was converted. But there is nothing wrong in the way we played hockey.”

But he accepted that at the end of the day, it is the result that matters and the Indian team will have to work on it.

“In the creative part, we were more fun to watch but in the end it doesn’t count. It is the result that you take with you. And we need to start working on converting good play into results.”

When asked about the poor penalty corner conversion, that India missed two opportunities out of three due to improper execution, he says it is not a cause for worry.

“Today we missed due to poor injection. Stuffs like these can happen in pressure situation. We will have to learn to handle that,” he added.

India will next play against Malaysia on April 8.