Just around 25-30 minutes before the commencement of the crucial India-New Zealand Women’s Hockey Olympic Qualifier in Ranchi, Savita Punia, the skipper, and Janneke Schopman, the head coach, were involved in an intense battle. It was a practice session, where Schopman’s only aim was to beat the goalkeeper with either the drive or reverse hit. Meanwhile, Savita had to read the shot early and stop it.
The intensity on display was such that it didn’t feel like a routine practice session. Schopman, who collected five Olympic and World Cup medals during her playing days, missed the target only once. Savita also was equal to the task, with her coach finding the back of the net on a single occasion. By the time Schopman made her way back to the dugout, she had laid down a marker for the rest of the Indian unit.
The girls followed in the coach’s footsteps as Sangita Kumari cracked a goal in the early minutes of the first quarter. The goal wouldn’t have happened but for Salima Tete’s sharp pass. She played a cross in front of the goal, with Sangita providing the finishing touches.
In fact, Salima was basically the Player of the Match for India. She was omnipresent right through the game. She correctly read Megan Hull’s penalty-corner attempt and blocked it, she stole the ball from right under the noses of New Zealand’s defence, and even in the closing moments of the match, she was all geared up to pounce on any chance to launch a counter.
In the first 10 minutes of the game, it was also quite clear that India’s passing had improved significantly. The girls were agile and made some swift moves with short and clinical passes. While playing their opening fixture against the United States of America, India were rather sluggish. In desperation, they even resorted to some long-distance passing, which isn’t one of their strengths.
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That could be the reason why Schopman had observed after the match, “I feel that we didn’t play to our strengths and what typically works for us. We need to revisit that and look at works for us.”
On another of those cold nights in Ranchi, everything that Schopman had envisaged behind the scenes fell in place. Perhaps it even exceeded her expectations, as Udita Duhan converted a penalty corner into a goal. A minute later, India were 3-1 up. The experienced New Zealand side regained their composure in the last three quarters. But by then India were ready to sit back and defend, and wait for any opportunity to hustle the opponent with a counter-attack.
When the final whistle blew, India had accomplished the task for the day. And with India playing the last match of the group, they have an advantage over the USA and New Zealand in relation to permutations and combinations, provided all three teams end up on six points.
The vociferous crowd also played its part in motivating the spirits of the girls. Chants ranging from “Jeetega, jeetega, India jeetega” to “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” were heard every single minute. Even when New Zealand lost the ball, there were loud cheers and whistles in the stadium. It certainly made for an electric atmosphere. In the land of MS Dhoni, the city seems to be breathing hockey at the moment. Hopefully, in front of a jam-packed stadium, India would continue to shine bright in their all-important clash against Italy.
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