India do away with the chokers tag, claim gold beating Pakistan comprehensively in the final
MANISH KUMAR
HYDERABAD, OCTOBER 31: For the first time in three decades, the Indian hockey team notched up a hat-trick of wins against Pakistan, effectively signalling the shift in the subcontinent’s balance of power. What made this performance — a 3-1 win in the final of the Afro-Asian Games event — even more pleasing was the intelligent, professional manner in which it was accomplished.
Today’s result followed 4-2 wins in both the group match of this tournament and the Asia Cup final in Kuala Lumpur last month.
This, though, was India’s most comprehensive win over their arch-rivals in recent years — even more than the 7-4 win at Amstelveen — because they could contain the strong Pakistan attack, letting in only one goal.
Another positive sign was that India didn’t allow themselves to be let down by the fact that the forwards were having an off day. Too often India have failed to think on their feet when one part of the team fails.
Today, as the forwards seemed to run out of goals, the midfield, led by the splendid Viren Rasquinha, rose to the occasion. The 22-year-old was the lynchpin, outstanding in the tackle and distributing ball to the forwards. He earned a yellow card for his efforts, whose effect could be seen on the Indian defence for the 10 minutes Rasquinha had to sit out in the first half.
For a team that has choked too often of late, this match was their best display in the tactical sense. One needs to look at the timing of the goals: all three were scored in the most crucial moments in hockey, which would please any top strategists.
The first, scored eight minutes into the match through a penalty stroke taken by Arjun Halappa, gave India the psychological edge. Unlike in past matches, when India conceded goals immediately after scoring, there was no let down this time as the Indian defence thwarted the Pakistanis even after they bagged a penalty-corner four minutes later.
Pakistan’s penalty-corner conversion was awful — they had nine in the match (the last three from the same move) and could convert only one in the first half.
Goal No.2 came with India at another vulnerable moment — the last five minutes of the first half. Their penalty-corner tactics had not been up to the mark so far with skipper Dilip Tirkey looking out of form with his hits. This time, with a minute of play left, Tirkey stood a metre above the D to take the hit but it was a master dummy as the Indian skipper deflected the ball a few metres ahead for Len Ayyappa, who was standing diagonally to the goalpost. His powerful, low flick eluded the goalkeeper’s pad to squeeze in.
The third goal was the killer, coming at a point in the match where you’d normally expect India to crack under pressure and let in an equaliser. Meetings between these two teams are usually goal-fests and a one-goal lead not adequate. So India simply scored another, with 14 minutes left.
And a gem it was, too. Receiving a scoop from the deep, Gagan sprinted down the line and dodged past three Pakistan defenders before unleashing a full-blooded hit that had the Pakistan goalie clueless.
The Pakistanis had no way back into the match.
########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
