India did nearly all the pieces Craig Fulton requested for. Earlier than the pushback, the chief coach hoped his gamers could be extra environment friendly within the attacking third, which they weren’t within the opening two matches of the present leg of the Professional League. At half-time, he demanded just a little higher defensive present. By full-time, Fulton left the sphere grinning.
It wasn’t a win. However lower than 48 hours after a 4-1 drubbing in opposition to Belgium, India responded by holding the Olympic champions to a 2-2 draw, earlier than lacking out on a bonus level within the penalty shootout.
India had two very well-taken area objectives, created – however didn’t convert – penalty corners, at instances displayed the identical outdated errors but in addition showcased one thing totally different, if not new: intent inside Belgium’s ‘D’.
For much too lengthy, India’s strikers have been responsible of being shy of taking a shot at purpose. They’d miss-trap, search for a foot or just search for a teammate to cross the ball – do all the pieces however shoot. On Saturday, they have been courageous and artistic, taking minimal touches to cross the ball, well utilizing deflections and being unafraid to have a go at purpose.
It resulted in two lovely area objectives. The primary got here within the eleventh minute. Hardik Singh performed a floating cross over the midfield that discovered Sukhjeet Singh on the byline. Sukhjeet managed it properly and as an alternative of taking an formidable reverse hit, which may have been blocked by the Belgian goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch, he turned and swerved previous a defender, introduced the ball on his forehand and drilled in a low, harmful ball throughout the face of the purpose. Araijeet Singh Hundal, the tall striker who was drafted into the enjoying squad on Saturday, went down on his knees and tapped it previous the goalie.
This piece of brilliance was quickly adopted by a mind fade. On the half-hour mark, a Belgium attacker performed a seemingly innocent cross in the direction of India’s ‘D’ that took a deflection off an Indian stick. Harmanpreet Singh, one of many calmest defenders, surprisingly closed his eyes and confirmed his again to the attacker. The ball hit his foot, Belgium earned a penalty nook and Felix Denayer scored. Belgium took the lead off one other PC rebound within the fourth quarter.
Harmanpreet, nonetheless, made amends late on, enjoying upfield. He obtained the ball, swivelled to create space, and crossed into the ‘D’, splitting the defence. Sukhjeet, who created the primary purpose, was in the best place this time to deflect the ball into the purpose. The 57th-minute strike helped India cancel out Florent van Aubel’s purpose within the fiftieth minute to salvage a draw on a day India produced a much-improved efficiency.