Other Sports

Indian skipper Harmanpreet Singh highlights the areas that need improvement after defeat against Spain in the Pro League

The Indian Men’s Hockey team started their FIH Hockey Pro League campaign in a very topsy turvy way as they defeated New Zealand in a thriller by winning 4-3 whereas they were defeated by Spain 3-2 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. India had a great start to the campaign as Mandeep Singh scored a brace and Mandeep Mor and Harmanpreet added a goal to their tally to beat the Kiwis.

However they lost out against Spain due to some lapse in concentration in defense. Harmanpreet Singh and Abhishek scored a goal each but it resulted in a losing cause as Spain ran riot by breaching the Indian defense thrice.

After the two matches, captain Harmanpreet Singh shared how they will look to improve on finishing their chances. The Indian team is creating many chances but they have not been at their prolific best in terms of scoring goals.

“We were creating a lot of chances. We received a lot of penalty corners. We were trying for different variations and combinations. But sometimes, they do not work out. We have two more matches to go next week, so hopefully we will try to convert more chances,” Harmanpreet honestly pointed out.

The men in blue will have two more matches as they will take on New Zealand on 4th November and also a rematch against Spain on 6th November. Harmanpreet highlights how the Indian team is pressing aggressively and are intercepting balls in the middle and are creating openings but they just need to be more clinical with their finishing and then results will go their way.

“We try to play with full pressure. So, we can create attacking chances. We were able to intercept a lot of passes and enter into the circle. But we can improve upon our finishing,” skipper added.

This is India’s preparation ahead of the World Cup which is scheduled early next year and the matches will be played at the Kalinga Stadium and also in Rourkela. So Harmanpreet is very thankful for the fans who came out to support them in the Pro League games and believes that the fans help them improve with every game.

“It was great to play once again at the Kalinga Stadium. This is our second home and we always receive massive support from the crowd here. So, it brings us a lot of positive vibes that we can do better and push ourselves,” the Indian defender concluded.

India needs to work on their defence and also on the attacking front. While the defense is conceding silly goals to the opponents, the attackers are missing out on golden opportunities. This is something which is very concerning for coach Graham Reid as the World Cup is very near and the team still needs a few tweaks to be a proper contender for the title.

About the Author


Written by DafaNews

DafaNews brings you the most highlighted news in the world of Sports. It serves you up-to-date matches, scores, live streams, fantasy games and quizzes. Our news covers India's prestigious leagues and events – Premier League, Pro Kabbadi League, Cricket World Cup and many more. Follow DafaNews on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,Telegram and Youtube for more updates.

Related Post
Share
Published by
DafaNews

Recent Posts

“Never expected a very easy run” – Gautam Gambhir reflects on his tenure as coach after IND vs NZ 2024 Test series defeat

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has admitted that he never expected a very easy run… Read More

October 31, 2024

Probably has a lot to do with playing on flat wickets in T20 – Gautam Gambhir on decline of good defensive technique in Test cricket

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir feels T20 cricket has led to the downfall of a… Read More

October 31, 2024

India needs Mumbai Test win before Australia tour – Gautam Gambhir

Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir feels the Rohit Sharma-led team desperately needs to win the… Read More

October 31, 2024

I cannot say just the batters have let us down – Gautam Gambhir feels everyone should take responsibility for series loss against New Zealand

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir refused to blame the batters after the team’s 2-0 series… Read More

October 31, 2024

It was insane – Bronny James after scoring his first NBA bucket

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James was on cloud nine after he managed to score… Read More

October 31, 2024

I’m happy with my team’s performance: Mohun Bagan SG head coach Jose Molina after win against Hyderabad FC

Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Jose Molina was delighted with the team’s performance after… Read More

October 31, 2024