Hockey Worlds: India close to exit after 1-3 loss to Netherlands

Mumbai: Near the centre of the pitch, Jorrit Croon stretched out to intercept a loose pass, five minutes from the final hooter. Then he charged forward, shrugging off the challenge of experienced India defender Amit Rohidas. A quick look to his left and he sent a measured low cross to an unmarked Thijs van Dam.

The first touch got the ball into the circle. The second – with a hint of showboating – was a little dink over the onrushing Indian goalkeeper HS Mohith. And then came the finish into an open goal.

That finish wrapped up co-hosts Netherlands’ 3-1 win over India in the Hockey World Cup second group stage fixture on Saturday. And the final goal served perhaps as that one moment of play best summarising the well-attended match at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen.

With the win, Netherlands secured their semi-final spot, leaving India’s hopes all but over. The defeat dimmed India’s hopes as it took qualification out of their hands. Not having taken any point from the preliminary group stage – England (they beat India) and the Dutch have – further diminished India’s chances.

India held on to most of the possession – 61.6 percent to Netherlands’ 38.4. India had more circle entries (20 to 16) and more penalty corners (7 to 4). But it was the Dutch who were better organized and made the most of those small moments that came their way to score.

Playing against the reigning Olympic champions and world No.1 team is no easy matter. Yet India needed to get a positive result to stay within reach of a semi-final spot.

India did start the game well as they held possession and made a few forays into the opposition shooting circle before the Dutch could get any true touch of the ball. As the minutes slipped by though, the hosts found their rhythm and started to build, allowing India time on the ball while themselves looking for those sharp moves.

So disciplined and patient were the Dutch in defence that they did not concede a penalty corner in the first two quarters.

After that, the Dutch started to turn up the pressure. They started to win the individual battles more frequently. The midfield was being bossed more by Justen Blok and Derck de Vilder than Hardik Singh and Manpreet Singh. Jarmanpreet Singh was falling a foot behind Terrence Pieters while India captain and drag-flick star Harmanpreet Singh seemed to be struggling with an injury.

Abhishek, India’s in-form striker who had been weaving through defenders in the previous matches, was being kept quiet by Floris Wortelboer (the player of the match) and Lars Balk.

With the individual battles aced, the Dutch started to make their moves into the opposition half. In the 41st minute, they found the breakthrough when Tijmen Reyenga’s attempted shot was mishit, but fell kindly to Duco Telgenkamp, who deflected it past Suraj Karkera (in goal at the time).

Trailing, India started to put more pressure on the Dutch defence, but the hosts quelled the danger without fuss. Goalkeeper Derk Meijer needed to make two important stops, including a superb stick save off a powerfully struck Sanjay drag-flick.

On the break once again in the 51st minute, De Vilder lofted a pass forward to Koen Bijen, who controlled expertly before sending a driven pass into the shooting circle. Tjep Hoedemakers was the first to react, and with the ball at least a foot in the air, he cleverly deflected into the India goal to double the lead.

Harmanpreet managed to pull one back and give India some hope with his sixth goal of the tournament in the 52nd minute – a powerful drag-flick placed hard and low, well away from a diving Meijer.

Immediately after that, Harmanpreet was seen rushing into the dugout for treatment, while his teammates tried to search for an equaliser.

That hope was quashed three minutes later with Van Dam’s goal.

“The first three quarters, we played well. We managed to hold the ball and defensively we did well,” a dejected Harmanpreet told FIH after the match. “But for the entire 60 minutes, we have to stay focused and consistent. In the last quarter we made the same mistakes, and (Netherlands) picked up and scored from those mistakes.”