India

A minute before halftime, the Indian think-tank took a decision that it rued for the remaining 36 minutes. It sent in a supposed ‘defender’ Harpal Singh on to the field.

Harpal’s blunder in the midfield helped The Netherlands take the all-important lead with scores tied at 2-2.

India then tried to cover the deficit, eventually losing 4-5 in the second match of the Champions Trophy at the National Hockey Stadium yesterday. The Indian team graph during the match was nothing less than an exciting day at the Bombay Stock Exchange.

India coach Gerhard Rach called his boys ‘inexperienced’. “We haven’t had enough time together. They are still making silly mistakes,” he said, not mentioning that fielding Harpal was the silliest mistake.

The Indian coach also complained that the boys were not playing ‘men’s’ hockey. “

If someone shoulders you, you shoulder back. You don’t fall down and then complain to the umpires. The players should be more arrogant in their approach,” he opined.

The Netherlands’s Australian coach Terry Walsh felt his players ‘did not make the game hard for the Indians’.

“Fortune did not go Holland’s way. here was one-way traffic as far as umpiring was concerned,” he said. “There were goals disallowed, goals given, which did not go in our favour,” Walsh added.

After two defeats and three matches still to be played, India can forget about a top two spot and start planning for the bronze.
Key moments

5th minute
Vikram Pillay unleashes a stunning reverse flick from just outside the circle for Sandeep Michael to deflect the ball home.

10th minute
Taeke Taekema’s drag-flick ricochets off the post for Geert jan Derikx to equalise for Holland.

16th minute
Taekema doesn’t miss the target this time and puts Holland ahead.

20th minute
Sandeep Michael’s attempt to beat the Dutch goalkeeper, Guus Vogels, fails. VS Vinay snatches the opportunity to level scores.

25th minute
Formidable Teun de Nooijer scores as Holland takes lead once again.

34th minute
Karel Klaver takes advantage of a poor Harpal Singh pass. After
covering 25 yards, he easily fools goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza to give his side a two-goal cushion.

45th minute
Indians are awarded a penalty after the ball gets stuck in the goalkeeper’s pads. Arjun Halappa successfully leads the fight back.

59th minute
Ronald Brouwer takes the ball from right flank and gives a back pass to Floris Evers, who minuses the ball for Teun de Nooijer. The striker capitalises on the move.

61st minute
Vikram Pillay converts the second penalty corner as India finish game with a 5-4 defeat.

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