December 1 is not a date that is remembered in the memoirs of Indian hockey. On the same date, India was defeated by Pakistan 1-7 in the final of the 1982 Asian Games. But that was 39 summers ago. Bhuvneshwar on 1st December 2021 had a different script, and a happy one.
India, defending champion of junior men’s world CupThey beat Belgium 1-0 to advance their title defense to the semi-finals, where they will now face Germany on Friday.
It was a repeat of the final of the previous edition in 2016. The occasion was not as grand, but the fashion in which the home team foiled the Belgian attempt showed a big heart.
The cheering at the 16,000-capacity Kalinga Stadium was limited to only 1,500-odd fans, mostly invitees and children from the academy. The number of goals was minimum to decide the outright winner. But with the enthusiasm with which Indian players focus on defense and find spaces to clear the ball or pass to an unmarked player, there are some parallels in Indian hockey history which traces its richness to goalscoring skills.
The game started in the exact opposite way. The first meaningful Indian touch on the ball came two minutes after the start, until Jr. red Lion Tossed the ball around, trying to find the spot.
The two goalkeepers Pawan and . Such face-to-face marking was led by the sloganeering of Prashant Chauhan, that it can be used by academy players in attendance as an example.
coach graham reedThe blueprint prepared for this match had fingerprints on it.
In fact, Hockey India’s decision to hand over the junior team to its senior team coach on the threshold of the tournament now appears to be a masterstroke.
“Every ball, every detail counts. I had two points for tonight. One of the things I talk about a lot is focus. He showed up tonight,” Reid told reporters after the match.
When Sanjay dodged Rusher from a penalty corner (PC) in the 20th minute, Sharda Nandi Tiwari Got a clear vision of the target. Immediately after that the ball was in the Belgian net.
He was India’s only PC in the game. It was strange for a team to score 12 goals from penalty corners in the league stage to see that the forwards weren’t really looking to make the PC. It has been India’s fastest weapon in this mission, led by four drag-flick experts at Reid’s disposal.
In fact, sometimes the forward pushed the ball forward by more than a fraction of a second, giving him neither a chance to score nor a chance to find the Belgian’s foot in the circle.
Reed almost accepted it.
“They are Indians, so they want to score,” Reid said on a lighter note.
“We talk a lot about making PCs. We have a really good PC battery. I don’t shy away from telling people to get PCs… (but) when you’re unsure, you can kick the ball a bit.” Long catch, (either) you’re nervous or maybe your options aren’t clear. But I’d prefer they find a foot instead of just carrying the ball for the take,” said the Australian.
Finding those penalty corners can be even more difficult against an organized German defense in the semi-finals. But India should not lose sight of its drag-flickers. They are in top form and delivering the goods. So no flaws can be found in Reed like they want to make a PC instead of taking a shot at the target.
Reid was particularly happy about the focused efforts put in by the players.
“There were times when he didn’t have to run back, but he did,” he said to back up his idea.
Without saying the exact words, the coach described the quarterfinal performance as a heroic effort; And in a team sport, it is inappropriate to point to individuals, an approach Reid has always maintained throughout the historic bronze medal winning streak. Tokyo Olympics Campaign.
If Sanjay and Tiwary executed the variation on PC with surgeon’s precision, goalkeeper Pawan became the crowd favorite for his defense in the final moments, when the Belgian stripped down his keeper and threw all to the Indian 23-yard Gave.
Reid was further provoked by reporters to name his heroes, but he maintained his stance, describing his reply as a solid forward defence.
“It was a team fight,” Reid said, pointing to his leading path out of the game… As with every player, the focus was in the effort. That’s all you can ask for as a coach.”
Reid and Indian hockey don’t want to look any further than Friday, when India take on Germany in the second semi-final; But India’s bench-strength and supply chain have taken every fan and expert alike by surprise, despite no international exposure for the juniors in the last two years.
A fan on Twitter put it in words that need mentioning and probably sums up the impact this performance has had on fans.
“It is safe to say that India has a bright future in hockey. Podium finishes will soon become a habit.”
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