Rio de Janeiro: If there were any doubts about the excitement of modern hockey, and its place in the future of Olympics, those were put to rest today in a pulsating game between India and The Netherlands today. A close game, that went down to, quite literally the final millisecond of the final quarter, India eventually losing to the Dutch 1-2.
This was always going to be a bruising encounter, and in the first quarter, after an initial boisterous start by the Netherlands, the two teams settled into a slow burn midfield battle at the Olympics Hockey Centre in Deodoro.
India were thorough and showed some real muscle and craft in periods of both quarters, just as it seemed the Dutch were going to run away and this a game of all attack against a resolute defence. It took till the 20th minute of the game though for the first real opportunity to present itself. A cross from the right found Valentin Verga in front of goal and room to spare. Sreejesh though was quickly off the line to block the shot and effect the save, a high-class moment of skill from both sides.
Perhaps the best indication of how evenly matched and tactically sound the game was could be gauged by the statistic that both teams didn’t have a single PC as they went into half time.
For all their early zipping, the Dutch’s frustration would’ve been magnified by that statistic and they soon made amends, storming out of the restart with the first PC of the game. Mink Van Der Meerden was denied by Sreejesh, a strong left hand dropping the ball into no man’s zone, from where Rogier Hoffman struck to give them the lead in the 32nd minute.
For India, a point would have sealed qualification, and the goal galvanised them into action. Five minutes after conceding, V Raghunath and Sardar Singh combined at the edge of the circle to win India their first PC of the game. Rupinder Pal Singh’s drag flick was padded away by Jacob Stockmann, but the rising ball was penalised with another. Off the second, India went to the man who won them the first, and Raghunath stormed his flick to Stockmann’s left to draw India level in the 38th minute.
India defended deep in the closing stages of the third quarter, and disciplinary issues led to SV Sunil and Raghunath earning a yellow card each, leaving India down to nine men. The two cards meant, Raghunath would serve out the majority of the final quarter on the bench.
The Dutch would take full advantage of being a man up in the final quarter and storm through with a series of penalty corners. Sreejesh stood strong, saving three in a row, before Van Der Meerden scored to give them the lead with six minutes of the game left.
Raghunath’s re-entry in the field would be with the yellow jersey as India played out the final three minutes without a goalkeeper, pressing high trying to force an equaliser and a guaranteed spot in the next round.
They would win their third PC in the 58th minute, Stockmann saving the effort. India kept pressing though, and had another with 6 seconds on the clock. The timer ticked out, but illegal block after illegal block, would mean India would win six consecutive penalty corners.
The first three would be played out amidst high anticipation for an equaliser. A Dutch body met each flick and soon both teams were trading video referrals, India successful, the Dutch not. The crowd soon jumped in to add to the occasion. Reminders of Raipur were in full effect, India looking to extract revenge for the equaliser that took them to a shootout. But in the end it was not to be, in a cruel anti-climax, a Dutch save on the goal line, denying India an equaliser and giving the Dutch the win.
For India though, it will be a great step forward. From being under pressure in the final moments of matches, they had been the aggressors, and the lack of a goal notwithstanding, this was a performance to inspire them for the future.
India next play Canada in their last Pool B fixture on August 12, 2016 at 9 PM IST. The match will be broadcasted live on Star Sports, Star Sports HD and Doordarshan.
