After their 2-0 win over Eire, when Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh got here into the blended zone, the very first thing that hit was how crimson their faces had acquired. A heatwave that’s hitting Paris and far of France led to tennis gamers at Roland Garros being given additional breaks throughout the match. A fan who attended the hockey match at Yves-du-Manoir Stadium stated the warmth was “fully loopy for spectators, can solely think about what it was for the gamers.” An official from the sidelines stated digital units had been heating up of their working space.
It wasn’t simply the literal warmth that the Indian males’s hockey crew needed to beat, but additionally the metaphoric sort from Eire who put Harmanpreet’s males below immense strain within the second half of their Pool B match. However, not like their final two matches, India had acquired off on the entrance foot, thanks to 2 extra set-piece objectives from Harmanpreet (11’, 19’), however then needed to maintain on in opposition to an Irish onslaught within the final two quarters.
“Because of the warmth, we knew it was advantageous for us to take care of ball possession and tire out the opposite crew. However in some areas, we tried to pressure issues, and our passes acquired intercepted. Eire troubled us as a result of they’re a succesful crew,” an exhausted Harmanpreet advised JioCinema after the match. in opposition to Belgium and Australia, India’s subsequent two opponents, inviting strain to this extent received’t be splendid, he added.
With Eire in a must-win place, India began the match effectively in opposition to a facet that’s normally onerous to interrupt down however was unusually leaving areas open. It was a scrappy begin with loads of referee whistles within the opening exchanges. One of many remarks heard on the published earlier than pushback was an Indian participant saying within the huddle, “ek probability aayega early., ek probability pucca aayega”.
Paris 2024 Olympics – Hockey – Males’s Pool B – Eire vs India – Yves-du-Manoir Stadium, Colombes, France – July 30, 2024. Hardik Singh of India in motion. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
An early probability was on the playing cards and it was Gurjant Singh who minimize out a brief go in midfield with a superb interception, dribbled forward and launched Mandeep Singh. The ahead managed the ball in his stride expertly and received a penalty stroke as he was bundled over by a defender. Harmanpreet wasn’t going to overlook.
Doubling the benefit
After penalty nook conversion worries in opposition to Argentina, Harmanpreet managed to energy one by way of early this time because the brute pressure of his drag-flick, mixed with a depraved deflection, gave India a 2-0 lead heading into halftime.
By a mixture of the warmth and Irish desperation, India withdrew an increasing number of right into a shell. It led to Eire incomes as many as 10 penalty corners within the second half alone. Manpreet Singh acquired bruised badly as he rushed out to save lots of one, Amit Rohidas was being Amit Rohidas in first-rushes, Sanjay and Harmanpreet put within the tackles, and considerably, PR Sreejesh was again to his finest. A mix of those defensive efforts ensured India by some means managed to maintain a clear sheet.
However the quick concern after that match is may India afford to be that beneficiant in opposition to the powerhouses they’re dealing with subsequent?
“It is a studying expertise for us as a result of the following matches can be more durable. We don’t understand how the climate can be, however it’s a studying that in conditions like these, the extra you retain ball possession and keep calm, the higher it’s. We have to needless to say regardless of how a lot we’re lacking on the entrance, if the crew defends sturdy, it’s all the time helpful. This was a great lesson for us in the present day as a result of we shouldn’t have given away so many penalty corners,” Harmanpreet admitted after the match.
That India are nonetheless reliant on Harmanpreet for set-piece objectives is a priority that’s rearing up once more. India have carried out simply sufficient in these opening three matches, however there have been a good few wake-up calls to heed to earlier than their blockbuster assessments.