“It is about small margins,” said the captain of the Indian men’s hockey team PR Sreejesh on Tuesday with sweat streaming down his face. He punched the air. India had just beaten Argentina 2-1, in cruise control for three quarters before flirting with another collapse. It was their first win over the South American nation in seven years.
But India will require a little more fine-tuning to progress to the quarter-finals and validate any medal ambitions. Modern sport can be very cruel. Ask shooter Abhinav Bindra, who was denied a glorious swansong in a shoot-off. In their previous pool game on Monday, the hockey team experienced late heartbreak against Germany. But against Argentina, India reversed the score, 2-1.
“I think we just didn’t play our best game,” said goal-scorer Christopher Ruhr after Germany’s late win against India. “We didn’t stick to our gameplan. We wanted to make short passes and not run the ball too much. We did completely the opposite, so then it’s tough to play against India because they only counter-attack. That’s their big strength.”
India, however – at least, for three quarters against Argentina – proved that they are more than just the sum of their speedy players. Oltmans has always rebuked the criticism that his team’s set-up is conservative, only lurking for the counter-attack. For 45 minutes, India were strong in possession, lethal in attack, and composed at the back. They were tactically disciplined and never rash in their game decisions.
Guarding against panic
“We had control, we played well, but we panicked,” said Oltmans. “When they pressed and made it 2-1, we should have kept our composure and taken the right decisions. That was our mistake, but Argentina is a strong team and we shouldn’t be too picky about it.”
He continued: “Against Germany also we were disciplined. You can see that the players are starting to execute the gameplan better. At times, the scoreline affects them. But don’t forget that we have the youngest team in the tournament.”
India went into the match in fourth place on three points in Pool B behind Germany, the Netherlands and Argentina. The top four teams proceed to the quarter-finals. Now they're in third place with six points and two games to go.
India in the ascendancy
The match began physically with skirmishes in midfield and around the Argentine danger zone. Ramandeep Singh threatened with a meandering run on the right. In the first quarter, India forced two penalty corners. Argentina’s keeper Juan Vivaldi produced a great save to his right from an absolute bullet from Rupinder Pal Singh, but seconds later, Chinglensana Singh converted India’s second penalty corner, with a shot in the same corner.
Argentina’s response was feeble, almost non-existent. Their forwards were isolated, their ball circulation left a lot to be desired. When Gonzalo Peillat did get a chance, he fluffed it from close range.
In the second quarter, India maintained possession, with Argentina sporadically on the attack. The Argentine’s physicality barely surfaced. At half-time, India were in total control, 1-0 up. Early in the third quarter, India extended the lead, courtesy of some slow-motion defending from Argentinean defender Juan Gilardi, whose stick seemed to freeze, at odds with the notion that stick work is of paramount importance in the game. Kothajit Singh obliged and dispatched the ball high into the net, 2-0.
Argentina push back, but too late
In the last 15 minutes, Argentina finally mustered pressure – sterile at first, pinning India back into their own half, then lethal with Peillat converting a penalty corner on 48 minutes with an elegant drag-flick. India were shaken. Devindar Walkimi ceded possession immediately, but goalkeeper Sreejesh prevented an equaliser.
Argentina won another four penalty corners. India had not conceded a single one until the last quarter. Sreejesh made crucial saves as India resisted the barrage.
“Sreejesh is an excellent goalkeeper,” commented Oltmans. “Argentina went all out with pressure. I expected Argentina to replace the keeper with an outfield keeper, but they did not do that.”
Oltmans paced up and down the touchline, agitated. The complexion of the game had changed. India looked frail and were now condemned to counter-attacking. With the match going end-to-end, Akashdeep Singh side-netted a good chance in the penultimate minute.
At the buzzer, Oltmans pumped his first, but too often India’s matches have been a tale of three good quarters and an atrocious last 15 minutes. To have realistic medal chances, that, alongside the lapses of concentration, must change.
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