Buoyant India look for an encore

Wattignies (France), Aug 4

Following a 2-0 win in their first outing on Monday, the Indian hockey team will take on France on Wednesday looking for an encore.

In Monday’s game, India outplayed France in all departments. The forward line, led by the experienced SV Sunil, came up with a brilliant performance, and kept the French defenders on their toes throughout.

The forwards got a good support from the midfield, where captain Sardar Singh played a crucial role. “The first win was very important, the team is feeling really motivated with the result. We played as per plan and got a good result,” said Sardar.

“We are trying a few new things. France may come out stronger and with better strategies in the next game, but we are ready for them.”

India’s defence, too, performed well in the first match. The French went all out in the third and fourth quarters but the defenders stood their ground. The hosts did manage to win a couple of penalty corners, but goalkeeper PR Sreejesh thwarted all their attempts.

“The first match was very good and we played as per our strategy. The players gave a good performance and controlled the match perfectly. We tried some new strategies and team combinations, which yielded positive results,” India chief coach Roelant Oltmans said.

“Young players also implemented the strategies and helped the team to maintain the ball possession. We will continue with our attacking game in the next match too.” — IANS