Just a simple Google search for Diamond gives you the following description, “It is one of the most admired stones on the planet Earth and has been one of the most sought-after jewels for thousands of years.” For the Indian women’s hockey team, that is currently partaking in the Olympic Qualifiers in Ranchi, the word is as precious but in a different sense. India’s diamond-shaped formation worked wonders against New Zealand and Italy, as they won both matches to book their place in the semi-finals. The home team also moved one step closer to qualifying for the Paris Olympics.
The keynote to both those victories was how well India implemented their strategy. One of the crucial components of that formation has been Udita Duhan. She hasn’t just taken over as India’s main drag-flicker from Deepika Thakur but has also done an admirable job in the defence with her tackles.
It is the team of Udita and Monika Malik, alongside Nikki Pradhan, that has kept the opponents at bay over the last two matches. They have also covered up for the absence of Deep Grace Ekka in the backline. Fittingly, in her 100 international games, Udita also cracked two goals via penalty corners.
Meanwhile, just mere words aren’t enough to praise Salima Tete’s influence on the side. She is currently the heartbeat of the playing XI. The crackerjack shot that rocketed through the minutest of gaps between the ‘keeper and the post versus Italy was an indicator of not just gifted skills but also work ethic. She has also been running the opposition ragged on the right side with her agility and crisp passing.
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Navneet Kaur capped off a great night for India. In the final quarter, she dodged not one or two but five defenders before her ball was intercepted. However, a bit of miscommunication in Italy’s defence ensured Navneet regained control of the ball as she nonchalantly flicked one inside the net.
In the later half of the match, a few other jigsaws of the puzzle also seemed to be fitted in the right place. Just to illustrate the point further, Lalremsiami made enough forays into Italy’s defence, which included a splendid pass to Sangita Kumari in the third quarter. But when needed, she was also adept at adding a little bit of depth to India’s defence.
Despite all the positives from the game, India still have enough threats to worry about. The first one is to find a way past the pre-tournament favourites, Germany. The European nation cracked 14 goals and gave away just one in their group. That one goal was scored by Japan, which helped them eke out a draw against their formidable opponent.
It was also a match where Germany couldn’t convert any of the 14 penalty corner opportunities. It was an incredulous stat for a team that has enough variations up their sleeve while taking penalty corners. After that drawn game against Japan, Nike Lorenz, the German skipper, said to RevSportz,”We don’t need to change anything basic, we just need to be a bit more clinical and focus on smaller details, then we should be fine.” In their very next encounter, albeit against the laggards of the tournament, the Czech Republic, they executed their plans to perfection by scoring 10 goals.
India’s head-to-head record against Germany also tells something about the one-sided nature of their contests. But with a couple of memorable wins, the Indian camp has momentum going into the semi-final. With a raucous crowd backing them to the hilt, India might still pull off a heist and stamp their place in the Olympics. There is no harm in dreaming.
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