India slump to second successive defeat against New Zealand

The second straight loss in the tough six-team pool has put their campaign off the track and the team will now have a tough task to make the last four stage.

Conceding soft penalty corners and allowing the rival strikers plenty of leeway inside the circle,India’s defence allowed New Zealand to call the shots even after taking an early lead.

Sandeep Singh’s second minute penalty corner conversion kept India ahead for 10 minutes before the ‘Black Sticks’ hit back to score three goals in the first session through Andrew Hayward (12th minute),Phillip Burrows (24th) and Nicholas Wilson (29th) to leave the Indians shattered.

India’s efforts to bounce back in the second session saw them frequently break into the rival circle,but were unable to change the scoreline.

New Zealand,winners of the Azlan Shah Cup two months ago,had lost their opening match 0-2 to South Korea,while India suffered a 2-3 reversal against The Netherlands,who now lead the Group B table with six points from two matches after posting a 3-1 victory over Belgium today.

New Zealand had beaten India 5-1 in their last meeting in the Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh (Malaysia).

India opened scoring in second minute through a penalty corner conversion by Sandeep,making the most out of the first Indian raid on the New Zealand citadel.

New Zealand responded by forcing their first penalty corner in the third minute,but the Indian goal had a close shave as Simon Child’s deflection from Andrew Hayward’s shot rebounded off the horizontal.

New Zealand pressed hard to dominate the first session and drew level in the 12th minute when a poor defence conceded a soft penalty corner that was converted by Hayward,who sent a shoulder high drag-flick past goalkeeper Bharat Chetri.

Soon after S V Sunil’s deflection on a cross from S K Uthappa went wide of the post,but poor defence continued to be India’s bane.

New Zealand striker Stephen Jenness was allowed to have a swing at a stray ball inside the cricle in the 16th minute,but India survived as he did not connect when the defenders were in disarray.

The Indian goal again came under pressure in the 22nd minute when Sardar Singh found himself defending against three New Zealand strikers,but managed to hold his ground.

New Zealand went ahead 2-1 in the 24th minute on a penalty stroke,which resulted from a penalty corner shot by Hayward struck Ignace Tirkey’s body as he tried a goalline save.

The penalty stroke was converted by Phillip Burrows,who placed it to the right of goalkeeper Chetri. India then mounted two raids that saw Tushar Khandekar’s shot from the left sail across the goalmouth as Dharamvir Singh failed to connect in the 27th minute.

Just as India were trying to push ahead,another defensive lapse saw New Zealand score their third goal in the 29th minute.

A faulty clearance presented the ball to Shea McAleese and his back-pass allowed Nicholas Wilson to flick past goalkeeper Chetri,who was replaced by P R Sreejesh at half-time.

India played a better game in the second session and had a period of sustained pressure,but failed to pose much threat to the New Zealand goal. The Indian strikers repeated broke into the circle,and then gave the ball away,not even managing to earn a penalty corner.

Plenty left to play for: Chetri

Indian hockey team’s chances for a berth in the semifinals suffered a big jolt after losing 1-3 to New Zealand on Wednesday but captain Bharat Chetri said that his side must not get dejected and they still have plenty to play for in the London Olympics.

India had earlier suffered a 2-3 loss to the Netherlands on Monday in their first outing on their return to the Olympic Games after eight years,having failed to qualify for the 2008 Games in Beijing.

“It’s disappointing to start with two losses,but that does not mean we have nothing to play for,” Chetri said after the match.

“We have three more games in the round robin league and then the playoffs. There is plenty to look forward to,and we’ll all try to put up a better show,” said the Indian captain,who himself is not having a very good tournament and today was replaced by second-choice goalkeeper R R Sreejesh at half-time.

“We have to be mentally tough and try to play the remaining three pool match well,” Chetri said.

India coach Michael Nobbs said his players played the second half well in both matches so far.

“We seem to be playing only in the second half. I simply cannot figure out why the boys are not going out and playing their game from the beginning,” Nobbs said.

“An early goal today should have made a change and we tried to take advantage of it,but New Zealand pressed hard and pinned us down,” he said.

India took the lead in the second minute against New Zealand,but the erratic strikers and error-prone defenders then gave away the advantage to concede three goals before half-time.

“We’ll have a discussion with the boys to find out what are they doing and why,” said Nobbs,adding that both teams were aware of each other’s game.

“There is nothing secret these days,everyone is analysing the opponents,” said the coach,adding that New Zealand’s physical strength also proved troublesome for India.

“New Zealand were quite physical. They are a monster side and have much more experience,” Nobbs said.

New Zealand’s coach Shane McLeod said he was worried at the manner in which the game started and India took an early lead.

“Look at the way the match began and India moved ahead in the second minute itself,” McLeod said. “I was hoping they did not go on in such a manner.”

“We played well to score three goals and got out campaign back on track after the loss to South Korea in the earlier outing,” said McLeod.

“We dominated the first half and created the openings for those goals,” the New Zealand coach said.

“The second half was more even,both us and India had their chances.”

McLeod said New Zealand played to their strength today,after an indifferent display in the previous outing when they suffered a 0-2 defeat at the hands of South Korea.

“The way we played in our first game was uncharacteristic,but this win over India gives us more confidence going into the next match,” he said.