Final Up to date: January 14, 2023, 19:46 IST
Graham Reid (Hockey India Picture)
A win in opposition to England, ranked fifth on the planet, on Sunday will assist India put one foot within the quarterfinals
England can be harder opponents than Spain whom India outclassed 2-0 of their opening World Cup match and the house workforce can not decrease its guard within the second group match on Sunday, head coach Graham Reid mentioned.
Native hero Amit Rohidas and midfielder Hardik Singh scored in India’s dominant win in opposition to Spain on Friday. A win in opposition to England, ranked fifth on the planet, on Sunday will assist India put one foot within the quarterfinals as they will fancy their probabilities of beating Wales of their ultimate Pool D match.
India are ranked sixth on the planet whereas Wales are fifteenth.
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“We’re up in opposition to England subsequent and it will likely be harder, they’re ranked increased than us. We all know how powerful England are within the Commonwealth Video games,” Reid mentioned.
Final yr, the 2 sides confronted one another 3 times with their final match performed on the Commonwealth Video games in Birmingham, ending 4-4 within the group stage. They performed out a 3-3 draw within the first leg of the Professional League match earlier than India received 4-3 within the second, each video games performed in April.
“So, we are going to attempt to proceed our good work (from the Spain match). We did very well defensively (in opposition to Spain), we now have to proceed it,” Reid added.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh agreed that England can be powerful opponents and the house aspect should play their finest hockey to beat them.
“We’re taking it match by match. Spain is completed now and our focus is on England and we’re planning for that,” he mentioned.
“Successful penalty corners is essential and we will be higher in PC conversion. We hope we are going to do higher in that regard,” mentioned the drag-flicker who was not at his finest within the match in opposition to Spain.
He couldn’t discover the goal within the 5 penalty corners India received and likewise wasted a penalty stroke.
“As soon as once more, we want workforce effort. We’ve got to make up for individuals who don’t do this effectively on a specific day.” Rohidas, who began studying his hockey from the Panposh Sports activities Hostel in Rourkela, mentioned execution of workforce plans can be key to win matches.
“I began from the Panposh sports activities hostel right here and enjoying at dwelling is an excellent feeling. The help from such a big crowd motivated us however as soon as we’re on the pitch we attempt to concentrate on the sport,” he mentioned.
“It’s a workforce effort and due to the workforce I received the prospect to attain in entrance of the house crowd which included my relations. We’re not beneath stress and the important thing to our success can be to execute the plans of the workforce.” Rohidas was within the excellent place to slam the ball dwelling previous a hapless Spain goalkeeper after Harmanpreet’s drag flick rebounded from the stick of a defender. Hardik later made a solo run to attain India’s second purpose.
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