India land 1-2 blow on Spain with comeback wins

Within the staff, Navneet Kaur is hailed as one of the best participant in one-on-one conditions. On Saturday, the India ahead confirmed why her teammates price her talent so extremely.

India have been having bother creating something towards Spain of their residence debut within the Pro League. To complicate the scenario for them, Spain capitalised on their dominant begin and took the lead within the 18th minute by means of Marta Segu. India have been searching for inspiration, and it got here from Navneet, who effectively goes about her enterprise on the pitch, nearly unnoticed.

Within a minute of restart after conceding the purpose, Navneet discovered herself with the ball alongside the byline contained in the Spanish ‘D’, on the left. Squeezed to the facet, surrounded by crimson shirts and seemingly nowhere to go, Navneet, one would have thought, would go for the better possibility and discover a Spanish foot to earn a penalty nook. Instead, she went for the audacious, trusting her expertise to barely increase the ball, dribble it within the air, beat a few defenders on the way in which and play a sq. go in the direction of Jyoti Gulia. It was a near-perfect execution of the ‘3D’ dribble and all Jyoti needed to do was faucet the ball into an empty purpose, which she did.

Some successful moments to relive from the conflict towards Spain!🤩#IndiaKaGame #FIHPROLEAGUE #hockeyatitsbest #HockeyIndia @IndiaSports activities @Media_SAI @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha pic.twitter.com/hGMdW0qzdG

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) February 26, 2022

The transfer and the purpose gave India much-needed perception towards an opponent ranked three locations above them. And regardless that the guests loved extra possession and created higher possibilities, India lived as much as their fame of being the final word fighters and saved denying the Spanish attackers, earlier than Neha Goyal scored the successful purpose within the 52nd minute on the again of some actually sensible work by Vandana Katariya to create house in a crowded ‘D’ for the help.

It was a exceptional turnaround by a staff that struggled to maintain the ball within the first half and was second-best in most conditions. India had fewer pictures, circle penetrations, possession and penalty corners than Spain at halftime. One of the primary causes they have been nonetheless within the recreation was the ever-reliable goalkeeper Savita Punia.

From the time when ladies’s hockey was largely on the fringes earlier than it took the centre stage on the Tokyo Olympics, Savita has been the custodian of the facet, actually and figuratively talking. She was instrumental in serving to India qualify for the Olympics after greater than three many years in 2016. She, as soon as once more, was instrumental in making certain the staff reached Tokyo and within the Japanese capital, her performances underneath the bar earned common acclaim as India narrowly missed out on a medal.

Even because the staff goes by means of a transitional part, Savita stays one of many pillars. The captain, standing in for an injured Rani Rampal, thwarted wave after wave of Spanish assaults within the first half, most from the proper flank, to maintain India alive within the match. Her saves have been essential as Spain wore down because the minutes ticked by and have been barely in a position to create any clear-cut possibilities within the second half, whereas India scored from the one alternative they obtained.

The win meant India, making their debut within the competitors meant for world hockey’s elite, are nonetheless unbeaten. But coach Janneke Schopman could be involved with the staff consistently shedding the ball inside their very own half, and likewise being unable to win a single penalty nook. Despite these shortcomings, India confirmed sufficient grit to stroll away with three factors. But Schopman is aware of Spain can be unforgiving when the 2 groups meet once more on Sunday.

Men come again from 1-4 down, win 5-4

The males’s staff, which was underneath stress to carry out after a shock defeat to France earlier this month, regarded on track to a different embarrassing loss when Spain raced to a 4-1 lead halfway into the third quarter due to Marc Miralles’s hat-trick.

That, nonetheless, appeared to wake them from their slumber as Graham Reid’s facet staged a exceptional comeback to win 5-4, with Harmanpreet Singh scoring the decisive purpose from a penalty stroke with simply 5 seconds left within the recreation.

The recreation modified and the way 🤩
What a comeback from #MenInBlue within the second half!

IND 5:4 ESP#IndiaKaGame #FIHPROLEAGUE #hockeyatitsbest #HockeyIndia @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports activities @Media_SAI pic.twitter.com/tERNnPORnP

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) February 26, 2022

The win, nonetheless, will paper over numerous cracks, particularly within the defence, which has leaked targets towards three completely different opponents in the previous couple of matches. Before conceding 4 towards Spain, India had allowed France and Japan to attain 5 targets every of their matches within the Pro League and the Asian Champions Trophy respectively. With the midfield freely giving the ball too cheaply and the backline repeatedly sliced open, the goalkeepers have usually been left in a susceptible place.

India have been made to pay for his or her defensive errors prior to now. On Saturday, they have been bailed out by the attackers, who entered the Spanish ‘D’ nearly each two minutes and though they weren’t capable of finding the proper go that may result in a purpose, India earned six penalty corners, three of which have been transformed into targets by Harmanpreet, Shamsher Singh and Varun Kumar.

The braveness to mount a fightback from a shedding place would please Reid. However, when the 2 groups meet once more on Sunday, the coach will hope his defence wouldn’t leak as many targets.

Score:

Women: India 2 (Jyoti 20’, Neha 42’) bt Spain 1 (Segu 18’)

Men: India 5 (Harmanpreet 15’, 60’, Shilanand 41’, Shamsher 43’, Varun 55’) bt Spain 4 (Cunill 14’, Miralles 20’, 23’, 40’)