All tempo and no endurance: Indian males, ladies lose to Spain

Nothing can illustrate the blinding pace at which India performed higher than the truth that even the high-definition cameras positioned across the Kalinga Stadium couldn’t correctly seize the transfer.

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Down 2-3, India had been piling strain on Spain, making repeated inroads into their ‘D’. One such transfer got here from the left-wing, when a cross was performed in however discovered no Indian stick. As it sailed out of play, India requested for a evaluate, looking for a penalty nook for a push by a Spanish defender on one of many attackers.

Raghuprasad RV, the tv umpire, pored over a number of angles and quite a few replays. But after 5 or so minutes, he turned to the on-field umpire, Javed Sheikh, in dismay – the pace of India’s actions and the tempo on the cross was so excessive that it was all however a blur, even in slow-motion replays! If ever there was any doubt concerning the pace at which India operates, these had been put to relaxation.

However, it’s vital for India to grasp all that tempo is of no use until they mix it with endurance. The 5-3 loss to Spain within the FIH Pro League on Sunday, a day after they secured an unconvincing 5-4 win, underlines this.

Like a sports activities automotive that goes from 0 to 100 within the blink of a watch, India unfailingly transitions from defence to assault inside seconds. But nearly each time, they appear in such a rush that they’re unable to choose the precise go, leading to both the ball going out of play, or them shedding possession.

The latter has prompted extreme issues. Every time India have misplaced the ball within the two matches in opposition to Spain this weekend, they’ve appeared like conceding a aim. One of the largest issues for coach Graham Reid, who has been attempting new gamers in numerous positions, would be the ease with which groups have been opening up his defence.

Sunday was the third time because the Olympics that the Tokyo bronze medallists allowed 5 targets in a match; France and Japan are the 2 different groups who’ve inflicted such miseries on the Indian defence.

India ended its Olympic medal drought by enjoying with a sure stage of calmness, particularly within the attacking third, which helped them in making the precise choices in crunch moments. The different issue was defensively, the group appeared structured and disciplined. These elements have been lacking within the current video games India have performed.

Against Spain on Sunday, India would really feel goalkeeper Suraj Karkera might have achieved higher in saving a minimum of a few targets he conceded, provided that the photographs within the first and fourth targets nearly went proper via him. Karkera, nonetheless, might have been shielded higher by the defence in entrance of him, which went lacking on most events.

One of the takeaways for India from this match would be the performances of Sukhjeet Singh, who dribbled previous the Spanish defenders to attain a aim on debut, and his strike-partner Abhishek, who continues to impress after debuting earlier this month.

In the 2 kids, India might have discovered gamers who can rating sensible discipline targets. But what the group wants is a few crafty defenders, who can cease the group from leaking targets.

Women lose 4-3

Fragility throughout turnovers is what let down the ladies’s group as effectively.

India got here again from a aim down 3 times within the match however Xantal Gine scored the profitable strike for Spain with seconds left to play, making one other comeback unimaginable. India misplaced 4-3, their first defeat of the Pro League.

Despite the loss, there’s a lot to construct on for Janneke Schopman from Sunday’s match. Savita Punia was as soon as once more rock-solid in aim, even saving a penalty stroke, however India made one too many defensive errors, which overshadowed the additional shift put in by the attackers.

Two out of the three targets had been indicative of the number of skill-set the group possesses. Debutant Sangita Kumari opened the scoring for India by selecting the ball simply across the ‘D’ on the precise, turning round her marker, dribbling previous two defenders and avoiding a sort out by an onrushing third earlier than slotting it previous the goalkeeper. The aim confirmed why Sangita is rated extremely on the home circuit for her scoring talents.

And whereas her aim was all about ability, Salima Tete displayed one other dimension of the ladies’s group: pace. Salima obtained the possession in entrance of her dugout and marched forward, quickly shifting gears as she approached the ‘D’. With no participant in a position to match her pace, Salima discovered herself with loads of time and house to get a shot in. And as a substitute of going for energy, she selected placement as she squeezed the ball previous the goalkeeper on the close to put up.

Unfortunately for them, this wasn’t sufficient to get a outcome.