Hockey World Cup 2018: India should have scored five goals against Belgium, says Chris Ciriello

India's analytical coach Chris Ciriello on Monday said that the hosts should have scored five goals against the experience Belgium.

India have reached the quarterfinals of Hockey World Cup. (Source: AP)

India were always expected to have a tough competition against Belgium, who were touted to be the tournament favourites in Bhubaneswar this year. India’s analytical coach Chris Ciriello on Monday, however, said that the hosts should have scored five goals against the experienced Red Lions.

The Harendra Singh-led side made a comeback from 1-0 down when the two sides squared up last week to take 2-1 lead. A late goal from the Belgians, however, ended the contest in a stalemate. India’s ability to switch their style from field passing to aerial play signalled that they were not going to allow any opposition to get away easily.

“We should have scored five goals against Belgium,” Ciriello told reporters in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Speaking on what went right for the Indian team at the group stage, the former Australian dragflicker said, “We’ve played really good hockey, but in patches. Our team has shown the ability to switch on. Against Canada: 1st, 2nd, 3rd quarter we were okay where we played more at their speed, while naturally we play fast and branding game and we need to do that more in the later stages.”

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Despite questions being raised on how far the less-experienced Indian side can go, especially after a disappointing Asian Games, the home team showed fantastic goal scoring rate in the group stages. In three games, India scored 12 goals – the second highest – only behind the mighty Australia.

Indian hockey player Lalit Upadhyay celebrates 2nd goal against Canada during a match of Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018. (Source: PTI)

Cirello further said India’s ability to score five goals in two games, makes them a tougher opposition. “If you can hit five in any game regularly it makes it very difficult for the other team,” he said.

The former Australian national, who joined India’s team management back in March this year, further said that India have not lost too many games this year. “A lot of people say this team hasn’t done well, but if you take a look, we haven’t lost many games in the whole year. Every tournament so far, except Azlan Shah, I wasn’t there, we had New Zealand, Champions Trophy, Commonwealth Games, we made the finals. So we want to make the finals here as well, Cirello said.

Without revealing much about his discussions with the team, Cirello said, “It’s about us, doing what we need to do. Once you get to the structure that was in the fourth quarter, things flowed very easily. And when we flow as an Indian team, it is very difficult to keep anyone down, because you’ve go Akash who’s got good skills, Mandeep who’s got different skill, you’ve go Simranjeet who got different skill, you’ve got Lalit who’s got fastest hands in the world, when you are playing against one guy. We get in the right structure.”

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India have already reached the quarterfinals of the tournament and will now face off against the winner of the cross-over tie between Netherlands and Canada on Thursday.