It was the best possible start the Indian team could have hoped for. Backed by 20,000 fans in Rourkela’s Birsa Munda Stadium, India beat Spain 2-0 to begin their Hockey World Cup 2023 campaign in style.
Amit Rohidas scored the first goal for India in the 13th minute of the game, pouncing on the rebound from Harmanpreet’s penalty corner. Hardik Singh scored India’s second goal of the game with a beautiful solo run from the left flank.
Indian hockey team started the game strongly, using the number game to end the hopes of young Spanish squad led by coach Max Caldas. Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh had an off game where he fail to score past Spanish goalkeeper Adrian Rafi.
Coach Graham Reid continue to employ both his goalkeepers throughout the match to reduce the workload on veteran PR Sreejesh. Indian defence put up a great show and the goalkeepers rarely had to break a sweat.
Krishan Pathak made a two great saves off Pau Cunill’s penalty corner efforts to dash any hopes of Spanish comeback.
Here are some talking points of India’s 2-0 win over Spain
Tactically Sound Indian team made things difficult for Spain
An important aspect of India’s improved fitness has been how easy it was for the Indian team to transition during the game. Against Spain, India was able to transition efficiently from defence to attack and vice-versa. India’s mercurial forward, Mandeep Singh was always India’s first line of defence as soon as the Indian team lost the ball. The whole team moved as a single unit, defending as well attacking in numbers.
India’s played an effective high press during the game that rarely allowed Spain to string more than two-three passes Indian half. As the game progressed and fatigue started setting in, the Indian team changed their pressing strategy. It allowed Spain to see more of the ball, but any threat was effectively neutralized by the defence.
Crowd at Birsa Munda delivers
The Malaysian crowd at Ipoh during Sultan Azlan Shah Cup is considered the best hockey crowd in terms of support. Yesterday, Birsa Munda Stadium with a capacity of 20,000 fans put crowds of every hockey event to shame with their support. There were huge cheers from the crowd as soon as the Indian team entered the stadium to warm up. The crowd continued to cheer the Indian team during 60 minutes of hockey. Fans in the stadium were especially ecstatic and loud when Odisha’s Amit Rohidas scored the first goal for India.
Great fan support turns a sport into a spectacle. They lift the morale of the team and motivate the team to play well. Hockey fans of Rourkela did just that. With the next game against England to play a decider for group winners, fan support will continue to be of great importance for the Indian team.
Hardik Singh continues to shine
In the 27th minute of the game against Spain, Hardik Singh stole the ball from the halfway line and ran towards the Spanish goal. Making efficacious of the available space, he went past 5 Spanish goalkeepers and got a deflection to score India’s second goal of the game. The goal he scored yesterday was a near replica of what he did against Great Britain in the Tokyo Olympics.
Blessed with hawk-eye vision and quick feet, Hardik today has become the heart of the Indian team. You can see him everywhere on the field, be it making crucial tackles while defending or supporting the Indian attack with his accurate passing and running. His stature since his debut has just continued to grow.
Amit Rohidas ages like a fine wine
It’s very rare in Indian hockey to see someone become better as they grow older. Rohidas is a fine example of such a player. In the last couple of years, Rohidas has become one of the vital cogs for the functioning of the Indian team. Usually known as one the best while defending penalty corners, Rohidas has started chipping in with goals off late. Amit Rohidas has an x-factor about him. He’s usually invisible throughout the game but he’ll be present when you’ll never expect him to be.
Yesterday against Spain in Hockey World Cup 2023, we saw something similar. He scored the rebound of Harmanpreet’s penalty corner to give India the lead in the 13th minute of play. Once again, this goal was a near replica of India’s final test match against Australia.
Rohidas’s invisibility during the play is his biggest strength. Backed by great pace, Rohidas will present himself whenever the team needs him.
Read More: Five Players to look out for in Hockey World Cup 2023
Harmanpreet Singh’s jittery start
Not a start you’d expect the captain of the Indian team to have, especially during the World Cup. The first game of the 2023 Hockey World Cup saw an off-colour Harmanpreet Singh. He looked tensed on the field which led him to miss something he never did, penalty corners. His penalty stroke attempt was also a feeble effort at the goal which is unheard of. Captaincy brought out the best in him on the tour of Australia, but the story was different against Spain the World Cup opener.
As the tournament progresses, we hope that he becomes comfortable with the role and the demands associated with it. India needs its best player to shine to achieve World Cup glory.
India will next face England who beat Wales 5-0 in their opening match. You can watch India vs England LIVE on Star Sports Network on 15th Jan at 7:00 pm.
Agree with our assessment of yesterday’s game? Let us know in the comments section
