New Delhi: India are feeling the heat.
One win from two games has left them on the edge in the Hero Hockey Junior World Cup here, and Tuesday will be a test of fire for the young squad when they face Korea in their final Pool C match.
Ahead of the tournament, there was talk about the team’s ability to handle pressure, but just two games into the 16-nation event, it has all fallen apart. They are now in a must-win situation if they are to advance to the next stage.
Though talented, India have struggled to handle pressure or come up with a Plan B when cornered.
Skipper Manpreet Singh and goalkeeper Harjot Singh have had decent outings, while striker Mandeep Singh has shown the occasional spark, but barring the trio, the rest have struggled to find rhythm.
Chief coach Gregg Clark reckoned it could be the anxiety of playing a big tournament, while India coach Baljeet Singh Saini said it was time the team showed their mettle.
Korea, who ran Holland close in their 2-3 defeat, are an athletic team. They are swift in counter attacks and are backed by a strong defence line.
India will need to step it up on Tuesday in all departments. The attack has been a major let down and it will be crucial to come up with the goods against a strong outfit.
Said Saini, “We have been guilty of conceding early goals in both games, and suddenly the team have started to play in too much of a hurry . At the end of the day, the result is all that matters and for that, the boys have to keep a calm head. “The boys have been told to stick to their game plan under all situations, even if we are trailing.” The hosts can take heart from the fact that they had defeated Korea 6-1 in a league game of the Sultan of Johor Cup two months ago.
In a crucial Pool D encounter, South Africa and New Zealand tested each other at regular intervals, with both playing a compact game. At stake was a quarterfinal berth, and in the end the Kiwis advanced by a one goal margin, when Kane Russell converted a penalty corner in the 44th minute.
The Proteas dominated the opening half and had several scoring chances, while the Kiwis too gave their all. A draw would have seen South Africa through, but the team failed to recover from a one goal deficit and went into the defensive mode.
New Zealand were incisive in their attacks, and held their own in the second half.
Earlier, Malaysia made it three in a row, beating England 4-2 in their final round-robin game to top Pool D. Already through to the quarter-finals, Malaysia did not let up on intensity coming up with a heartening show.
Earlier in Pool B, Australia warmed up for the last-8 in style beating fellow quarter-finalists France 2-0, while Argentina blanked Spain 1-0 in an inconsequential game.
