FIH Olympic qualifier

[Atithee]

^^Deserved? No one deserves anything. You earn everything with your performance.

[arjun2761]

As the second highest ranked team in these qualies and at home in Ranchi, the Indian women have no excuses to not qualify. Ideally, they should have qualified at the Asian Games itself where they were the highest ranked team, but perhaps the home advantage propelled the Chinese. Here, it is the Indians that have the home advantage.

[Saffron Lenin]

'Defence, PC conversion needs improvement'- Indian coach Janneke Schopman


Despite winning Asian Champions Trophy, Indian women's hockey team head coach belives that they need to improve in multiple areas.
Ranked sixth in the world after the ACT win, India will return to Ranchi in January to participate in the FIH Olympics qualifiers. The tournament will feature eight teams - Germany, India, New Zealand, Japan, Chile, the United States, Italy, and the Czech Republic in Pool B.

https://thebridge.in/hockey/defence-pc- ... pman-44704

[sameerph]

Critical olympic qualifier starts today in Ranchi with a tough match against USA. This is the preview article-

Pressure on coach, seniors before Olympics hockey qualifiers

[ssp]

Not confident at all of getting out of the group. We always struggle v NZL and I expect USA to be tough too.

[sameerph]

We lost 0-1 against USA. Looks like we created a lot of chances but just could not convert.

Now, it becomes quite tough for us. Tomorrow's match against New Zealand is absolutely critical now. If we lost we almost out of olympics. This coach seems to have brought down the level of the team.

[ssp]

We're out. This coach and the selectors are useless. No PC specialist is just dumb beyond belief. We always handicap our teams with incredibly stupid decisions. on and off the pitch. Frankly, our women have regressed badly in the past 2-3 years. we have spent a lot of money on coaches and tours and then make crazy decisions on selections

[sameerph]

We lead 3-1 at half time against NZ. Looking a different team than yesterday's match but still one half to go. So, lets us see.

[sameerph]

And we hold on and we win 3-1. That is good win over New Zealand against whom we have generally struggled.

In the other match in our group, USA beat Italy 2-0.

So, in last match, we need to beat Italy and hope that USA either beats NZ or it ends in draw. In case we beat Italy and NZ beat USA, it will be a 3 way tie. Good thing is we play the last match so will know what is needed.

[Sin Hombre]

Did we play a PC specialist who made the difference?

[sameerph]

Did we play a PC specialist who made the difference?

No. I think there is no PC specialist in the squad. But, we showed some good variations in PC and scored 1 goal from PC.

More importantly, kept a high press even we were ahead and kept pressurizing their defenders. That meant no easy balls to their midfield. Forwards Salima Tete and Sangeeta Kumari were very fast in counters. Defenders did make some messups as usual but they were fewer than in the earlier match.

[ssp]

Very pleased to beat NZL. I honestly didn't expect this. Now we don't need to rely on other results to make the semis. The Kiwis are rebuilding but they are always a side that we struggle against because of their physical strength and speed. If we can top our group, then qualification looks a bit easier as we'll most likely meet Japan in the semi final. Germany always beat us, so I'm not optimistic against them.

[sameerph]

So, worked out all scenerios for tomorrow -

If USA beats NZ, they are thru to SF as group toppers and we need only a draw against Italy to go thru as second team ( in worst case, even a loss by lower marking than the one by which NZ loses will also do ).

If USA-NZ ends in a draw, USA go thru but if we win against Italy we end up as group toppers.

If NZ beats USA they go thru and we need to beat Italy by 2 goals to gp thru, can even top the group with better goal win than NZ win.

[arjun2761]

Good luck to team India for a decisive win!

I think we need NZ to beat US for us to win the pool. A tie will leave the US with 7 points and at the top of the group. Of course, a NZ win leaves 3 teams at 6 points, so we have to beat Italy by a good margin to top the pool.

[sameerph]

USA beat NZ 1-0. So, we now need only a draw against Italy today. But, we are not going to top the pool . So, likely to be Germany in the SF. But, first have to do the job against Italy to make it happen.