They collapsed on their knees, faces buried of their fingers, eyes pink and moist. The silence within the stands, a disbelieving hush that engulfed the Kalinga stadium, and the dejected shake of the top. “Temper off kar dia,” bemoaned one fan donning an Indian jersey. “Zara iss dil ka toh sochte.”
Indian hockey’s historical past is affected by extreme heartaches, every yet another painful than the opposite. This one will linger for some time, although. For it brings a workforce that was flying above the clouds after successful the bronze medal on the Tokyo Olympics crashing right down to earth.
These moments of unimaginable excessive beneath a crisp Tokyo solar now really feel a world away from the lows on a breezy, nervy – and finally heartbreaking – night time in Bhubaneswar. The gloom within the Indian dugout and the stands was an unsettling realisation that the hosts had been booted out of their very own World Cup. A untimely exit after New Zealand, who had billed themselves up as underdogs coming into this match, conjured up one of many upsets of the match within the play-off match for a spot within the quarterfinal.
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New Zealand full 2nd half come-back and a good shoot-out goes to the 18th try, the place New Zealand prevail to maneuver to the quarterfinals! #HWC2023
📱- Obtain the @watchdothockey app for all updates pic.twitter.com/TNHT2ZrN7X
— Worldwide Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) January 22, 2023
The Black Sticks will now keep in Bhubaneswar to face Belgium within the final 8 on Tuesday. India, then again, will make a visit again to Rourkela the place they are going to face Japan within the classification matches for the underside half of the draw.
On this unending night time of unbelievable hockey, India loved a two-goal lead, allowed New Zealand to return again and make it 3-3, which pressured the match into shootouts. Within the tiebreaker, it was the Kiwis who had a two-goal benefit however PR Sreejesh’s heroics – the Indian goalkeeper limped off the sphere – dragged India again into the sport when all appeared misplaced and took it to sudden demise, the place the hosts had the possibility to win it twice however did not capitalise on each events. Finally, after they had been out on the sphere for nearly two hours, New Zealand lastly clinched the tie within the 18th penalty, when goalkeeper Leon Hayward denied Shamsher Singh.
Whereas Shamsher’s missed try was the last word match-defining second, this was a collective failure of a workforce that by no means imposed itself in a match coach Graham Reid mentioned they had been ‘quietly assured to get the job carried out’.
There was an air of tension round this match proper from the primary whistle. The Kalinga crowd, which usually breaks right into a raucous roar at a mere contact of an Indian stick, exuded a nervous power that mirrored the jittery Indians on the sphere.
Heartbreak for India as they bow out from FIH Odisha Hockey Males’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. Listed below are some essential moments from the sport.
🇮🇳IND 3-3 NZL🇳🇿
(SO: 4-5)#IndiaKaGame #HWC2023 #HockeyWorldCup2023 @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI pic.twitter.com/CiXiy9JPU0— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 22, 2023
That rigidity was launched momentarily when India broke the impasse within the 18th minute with a transfer that began deep into their half and ended with a brisk counterattack, which was transformed right into a objective by Lalit Upadhyay. And when Sukhjeet Singh made it 2-0 seven minutes later with a smash from an in depth vary, very similar to how Leander Paes pounced on a unfastened ball on the web, it appeared like easy crusing for India.
That feeling didn’t final lengthy after Sam Lane pulled one again for New Zealand simply earlier than half time and, after the break, Greg Nicol’s workforce did precisely what they initially got down to do – pack the midfield and scale back their errors to a naked minimal to cease India from successful the ball close to the midway line and breaking into counterattacks.
Nonetheless, India had been in a position to steadily raid the New Zealand ‘D’ and gained a complete of 10 penalty corners – together with 4 within the area of two minutes within the second quarter and three in two minutes within the third – however the drag-flickers’ poor run continued. India threw the whole lot that they had at New Zealand however other than Varun Kumar – who scored the third objective – not one of the tips and flicks they tried got here to fruition.
The frustration of lacking corners solely added to India’s frustration and anxiousness. They might’ve settled the match quite simply even when they transformed one-third of their possibilities. However as a substitute, their profligacy allowed New Zealand to make one other comeback.
New Zealand’s sport plan was to maintain the rating line shut going into the fourth quarter and so they managed to do exactly that. A objective going into the third-quarter break swung the momentum of their favour and for a significant a part of the final quarter-hour, New Zealand channelled their true underdog spirit as they performed with none concern. India, who had a lot to lose, succumbed to the stress and conceded the third objective, which levelled the scores at 3-3.
Within the tie-breaker, India appeared overwhelmed and daunted, clearly affected by the stress of taking part in in entrance of packed stands that anticipated nothing lower than a win. It led to Abhishek and Shamsher lacking their makes an attempt and if not for Sreejesh’s brave goalkeeping, India would have misplaced the match proper there.
The veteran goalkeeper rolled again the years with two outstanding saves. Within the sudden demise, he injured his leg whereas denying New Zealand captain Nic Woods’ try. Harmanpreet Singh, who may have gained the match with a profitable penalty, hit instantly at goalkeeper Hayward. India received one other probability after Krishan Pathak – who changed an injured Sreejesh – in some way denied Hayden Phillips however this time, Sukhjeet couldn’t discover the goal.
Finally, New Zealand took their probability after Shamsher did not convert his try. And as Hayward broke into an impromptu jig close to the far put up and the New Zealand gamers stormed onto the pitch in celebration, Indian gamers sunk to the bottom.
Their 48-year look ahead to a World Cup medal received prolonged by one other 4 years not less than.