NEW DELHI: India captain Harmanpreet Singh was pleased with his side’s winning start to the FIH Hockey World Cup but admitted there were lessons to take from the 3-1 victory over Wales in their Pool D opener in Amstelveen on Saturday. Harmanpreet, who scored twice from penalty corners, said securing the full three points was the immediate priority, while stressing that India would look to avoid repeating the mistakes that allowed Wales to score late in the contest.“We played very well. Our aim was to create chances and score goals match after match. It doesn’t matter who is the man of the match or who is scoring the goals. We just need to score goals. We played with that mindset,” Harmanpreet said after the match.“It was important to begin with a good win. We won 3-1 and took three points, which is a good result,” he added.
India look to tighten up after late Wales goal
India had established a commanding 3-0 advantage by the 43rd minute, with Sanjay opening the scoring in the eighth minute before Harmanpreet struck in the 11th and 43rd minutes. However, Wales managed to pull one back in the 56th minute after a scramble inside the Indian goalmouth, denying the former champions a clean sheet.Harmanpreet acknowledged the need for India to learn from the lapse as they move deeper into the tournament.“We tried our best, but they also played well. This was only the first match, and we will try not to make mistakes in future matches,” said the India captain.The goal came after a lengthy deliberation following an unusual sequence in which the referee dropped his whistle while trying to retrieve it and missed part of the action. A review by the third umpire eventually confirmed Sam Welsh’s goal, reducing the deficit to 1-3.
Penalty corners deliver, confidence remains high
All three of India’s goals came from penalty corners, with Sanjay and Harmanpreet making the most of their drag-flick opportunities. Despite coach Craig Fulton’s emphasis on improving India’s field-goal conversion, Harmanpreet said the source of the goals mattered less than the end result.“Our forward line performed well and earned several penalty corners. Whether they score field goals or create PCs, goals are important for the team,” he said.India had largely controlled the contest, particularly in the first quarter, when they established their 2-0 advantage. Wales offered greater resistance after the break, but Harmanpreet’s second goal in the 43rd minute gave India enough cushion to manage the final stages.The captain also expressed confidence in the team’s preparation and current form after a mixed run in the build-up to the World Cup.“Currently, the team’s focus is on the World Cup and we are in good form, well prepared, and confident of a podium finish,” he said.India will now turn their attention to England, whom they face in their second Pool D match on Monday. The contest is scheduled to begin at 6:30 PM IST.
