New Delhi: India’s hopes of reaching the Hockey World Cup semifinals came to an end after a 3-5 defeat against Argentina, with head coach Craig Fulton admitting that his team failed to deliver when it mattered most.
Fulton described the match as a strange contest and acknowledged that India’s performance fluctuated throughout the game. The team made a poor start but improved significantly in the second quarter before struggling again in the third.
India produced a late fightback in the final quarter, scoring three goals and creating further opportunities. Fulton felt the team could even have found a fourth goal from a penalty corner, but the recovery came too late to change the result.
“We didn’t want to end like that,” Fulton said, reflecting on the defeat. He acknowledged that India had played at a high level during the tournament but stressed that the team needed to raise its performance in decisive matches.
The coach also pointed to the qualification permutations surrounding the game, suggesting that the pressure and calculations involved in reaching the semifinals affected India’s performance.
India forward Sukhjeet Singh, who scored twice against Argentina, identified defensive errors as a major reason for the defeat. He said India allowed Argentina to create and convert chances that could have been prevented.
The early goal conceded in the opening minute added further pressure, according to Sukhjeet. He admitted that India started slowly and struggled to recover from the early setback.
Sukhjeet also highlighted the contrast between India’s penalty corner and attacking performances and their defensive display. While India’s penalty corners had been effective throughout the tournament and the forwards had contributed important field goals, defensive lapses proved costly against Argentina.
With their semifinal opportunity gone, India will now look to address their defensive weaknesses and improve their ability to handle high pressure matches.
