Hockey: India produce heavy-metal hockey but finishing lets them down in another painful defeat against World No 1 Netherlands

For, the gegenpressing, ball-stealing India produced some of their best heavy-metal hockey and created heaps of chances from open play and set pieces. But profligacy in the ‘D’, once again, was their undoing.

This was a highly tactical match as the Netherlands shadowed every Indian player, sticking to their man-marking ethos. They choked India for space and doubled it up by being physical. India countered this with quick, fast pressing and crowding the centre of the field, thus forcing the Netherlands to attack from wider areas, to prevent direct forays on the goal.

Both teams’ tactics elevated the quality of this tie.

India started so sharply and with such high energy that they entered the Dutch ‘D’ nine times in the first 10 minutes. A lot of it was because of the pressing and smart steals in the Netherlands’ half of the field.

Abhishek, playing his 100th international, dispossessed Joep de Mol on the left flank mid-way through the first quarter, ran into the ‘D’ and unleashed one of his trademark hits from the top of the semicircle. It went just wide of the post but the move was the first warning sign for the Netherlands.

In the minutes that followed, India never allowed the home team a patient moment on the ball. As soon as the ball would rest on a Dutch stick, there would be a blue shirt closing down, bending low and ready to tackle.

It was one such steal in the 20th minute that led to the opening goal. Manpreet Singh dispossessed a Dutch attacker at half line on the left flank, in front of the dug-outs. The ball rolled forward towards Shilanand Lakra, who artistically lifted it over the onrushing defenders to enter the ‘D’, and play it towards Abhishek on his right. The forward took a second to compose himself and then slotted it over the Netherlands’ goalkeeper to give India the lead.

For India coach Craig Fulton, who has made field goals and attack his priority, this would have been a pleasing sight.

But it didn’t last too long. India were in a similar position even on Saturday, when the Netherlands came back to win 2-1. On Monday, even though they looked flummoxed by the speed of India’s pressing and attack, the Netherlands never looked like losing control.

Abhishek Nain in action. (Credit Hockey India)

Four minutes later, the world No 1 were on level terms. A wobbly ball from the baseline made its way in front of the goal, beating everyone along the way including the goalkeeper Suraj Karkera. Manpreet had a chance to swat it away but he couldn’t connect with the ball and behind him, Thijs van Dam pounced on it to make it 1-1.

India conceded another soft goal three minutes into the third quarter as Tjep Hoedemakers, who constantly made brilliant runs behind the defensive line along with Terrance Pieters, hit a shot that brushed Krishan Pathak’s hip and looped into the goal.

Once again, India were being punished for not being able to convert their chances, which allowed the Netherlands to take the lead. Their wastefulness in front of the goal would get worse as the match progressed.

India barely put a foot wrong in the midfield battle but lacked the finishing touch — both, in open play as well as through penalty corners.

The team earned four consecutive corners in the third quarter. Harmanpreet Singh, the scorer of India’s only goal a couple of days ago, drew a splendid save from the goalkeeper on one occasion but could not convert either of the opportunities.

Minutes later, India earned two more corners. This time, Jugraj stepped up but he too could not flick the ball into the goal. With six minutes left in the match, Jugraj, who had a bandage plastered across his forehead to stop the bleeding, converted the corner after a deflection off his low flick wrong-footed the Dutch goalkeeper.

The goal injected life into the players and almost immediately after restart, India once again stole the ball high up the pitch. Lalit Upadhyay was released one-on-one with the goalkeeper from the consequent counter-attack.

The veteran forward tried to go for the spectacular by lobbing the six-foot-tall goalie Maurits Visser, who had stepped out of the goal. Upadhyay, instead, ended up putting the ball over the goal.

It was a costly miss as in the 57th minute, India were penalised after Jugraj stick-tackled a Dutch attacker, resulting in a corner. Jip Janssen, one of the finest exponents of the art, did not need another invitation; his flick was too quick and precise for Karkera to stop, sealing a hard-fought win for the hosts and a bruising defeat for India.