Goals galore, improved defence: India going to Paris in style

Tribune News Service

Rohit Mahajan

Hangzhou, October 6

Harmanpreet Singh and Manpreet Singh, coach Craig Fulton by their side, seemed to be completely spent emotionally — both had been part of the hockey team that had suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Malaysia in the semifinals of the 2018 Asian Games. That loss had sent them on a wild and perilous hunt for a berth in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics — India did make it to Tokyo, where they earned a bronze, but top teams do hate going through the qualifiers.

Today, having beaten Japan 5-1 and won gold, and automatically qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics as the continental champions, both had celebrated on the hockey turf. They had cheered and danced, and posed for photographs with volunteers and officials and fans. Now, as they analysed victory, they seemed to be completely exhausted.

We have made the nation proud, that’s what we wanted to do. We played a nice blend of hockey. We scored a lot of goals, we defended well and attacked at the same time. For me, our semifinal against South Korea was the game of the tournament. We beat them 5-3 but it was tough. Craig Fulton, India coach

“Feeling on top of the world right now,” said Harmanpreet, the captain. “This was our target, to qualify for the Olympics. We scored some very good goals. So, feeling great.”

Coach Fulton was more focused and precise in his expression as he spoke of the significance of gold. “That was the main objective coming into this tournament,” said the South African. “We didn’t want to leave anything to chance. We had taken care of the preparation and programme, so winning was the most important thing on our mind.”

Harmanpreet had led from the front as India beat Japan, the defending champions, 5-1 to snatch back the Asian Games gold they’d last won in 2014; this is India’s fourth Asiad title in hockey, after 1966, 1998 and 2014; the margin of victory for gold, four goals, is the biggest ever, with the 1998 and 2014 finals having been decided on penalties.

Manpreet had broken the Japanese resistance in the 25th minute, and Harmanpreet scored twice through his powerful drag-flicks on penalty-corners, in the 32nd and 59th minutes; Amit Rohidas scored off a penalty-corner, too, in the 36th, while Abhishek rounded up the scoring in the 48th through a field goal.

India, having got a scare by South Korea in the semifinals two days ago, were more dominant, much aggressive today. They put Japan under pressure right from the start, eliciting two fine saves by their goalkeeper Takumi Kitagawa, the second off a penalty-corner shot by Harmanpreet. India shot ahead in the 25th minute when Manpreet scored with a strong reverse-hit when the ball fell through to him after Abhishek’s shot was blocked by Kitagawa.

At the next opportunity on a penalty-corner, Harmanpreet was accurate and deadly, sending the ball in with a strong drag-flick. At his turn on a set-piece, Rohidas beat Kitagawa easily by sending the ball high into the goal. With Japan struggling to create chances, the writing was on the wall, the cake was ready — the last two goals by Abhishek and Harmanpreet were only the icing on it.

Attack-defence

“We played a nice blend of hockey. We scored a lot of goals, we defended well and attacked at the same time. For me, our semifinal against South Korea was the game of the tournament. We beat them 5-3 but it was tough,” Fulton said.

Fulton said that being the No. 1 in Asia — India are world No. 3, far ahead of world No. 10 Malaysia, Asia’s second-highest ranked team — didn’t mean that winning here was a foregone conclusion. “Did you see how Korea played in the semis?” asked Fulton. “In that one game, that amount of experience, the tactical nous of their coach! You can take them only at your peril. I’m glad we came through that game!”

India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh said no medal is won easily. “The ranking does not show anything. Every team comes here to win,” said the former captain, who is one of the two players — the other one is Manpreet — who have won two Asiad gold for India.

Sreejesh said they’re already planning to build up for the Paris Olympics. “It’s already started. We know what we have to do,” he said. Fulton said automatic qualification for Paris is a big positive. “It’s very positive that we can control our programme now through to Paris.”

“We have made the nation proud, that’s what we wanted to do,” said Fulton. “We are playing a nice brand of hockey.”

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