Hockey World Cup: India tick-mark first objective, enter quarters

BHUBANESWAR: There is something about this Indian team. Every time they are pushed into a corner, they manage to find their way out. It happened against Belgium and it happened again against Canada here at the Kalinga Stadium on Saturday.

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Almost flat for the first 45 minutes of play, India woke up with a roar to score four goals in the fourth quarter and make a slam-bang entry into the quarterfinals of the World Cup by hammering Canada 5-1.

Only a fly on the Indian wall can tell what coach Harendra Singh said at the end of third quarter that sent India's performance graph crashing through the roof, led by Man-of-the-Match Lalit Upadhyay, who scored a brace.

After Belgium confirmed South Africa's return ticket with a 5-1 thrashing, India needed a win over Canada to top the pool, irrespective of the margin of victory.

It was 1-1 when the hooter signalled the end of third quarter. A different India returned to the pitch from their huddle, and Canada were left shell-shocked.

After Harmanpreet Singh's opener in the 12th minute, Chinglensana Singh got India ahead in the 46th, Lalit made it 3-1 in the next minute, local boy Amit Rohidas scored off India's fourth penalty corner in the 51st and Lalit came back to put the final nail in the coffin to make it 5-1.

For Canada, Floris van Son scored the equaliser in the 39th minute to hush the home crowd.

But it must be said that big teams that India meet next will make them pay if so many chances are spilled.

Mandeep Singh, Dilpreet Singh and Akashdeep Singh -- the core of India's frontline -- couldn't have asked for more. Credit to them for creating scoring opportunities; but if you miss, it's just counted as circle entries.

A team can make as many circle penetrations but unless some of those turn into goals that win you the game, it takes you back on the home-work desk.

A less-than-100-percent Manpreet Singh did alter some of India's plans. The coach had to pull Lalit back into the midfield once Manpreet was off the pitch.

But credit to Lalit for rising to the occasion. Also, Chinglensana Singh had perhaps his best outing in the tournament so far, by not just scoring but creating plays that took India to the Canadian goal-mouth on a number of occasions.

Two penalty-corner conversions from the six India created is at an average level. But improved defensive mechanisms of teams has made it difficult to find the mark. India will surely keep a couple of variations up their sleeve for the knockouts. But they will have to improve the conversion rate in crunch games.

The hosts will play the third quarterfinal on December 13 and are likely to face Netherlands or Germany.

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