Bhubaneswar, Dec 6: India failed to utilise their speed as well as their experience to break the Berlin Wall and then conceded a last minute goal to lose their Pool B game against Germany at the Kalinga Stadium here Friday. The stadium resounded to the sounds of ‘Main tera Hero’ during the match, but sadly there was no ‘hero’ for India in front of the opposition goal to score when the chances came. And they paid for it dearly in the end when Florian Fuchs scored with 36 seconds left to go on the clock.
The crowd fuelled by India’s recent success came expecting a victory against a German side that was fit but lacked the finesse. They shouted themselves hoarse with every move India made, but really did not erupt as SV Sunil, Ramandeep Singh and Akashdeep Singh missed easy sitters. Akashdeep, in particular was guilty the most, trying to score through his legs, once in the first and then in the third quarter. Fancy stuff no doubt, but unsuccessful and which cost India dear.
The Indians used the flanks brilliantly with Sardar Singh repeatedly finding SV Uthappa and Dharamvir Singh in the clear. They combined well with the others till the opposition ‘D’ but then the Indian forwards seemed to run out of ideas. In the first quarte,r both Ramandeep and Sunil were guilty of failing to connect with the ball after getting the ball unmarked inside the ‘D’.
India were also lucky in the sense that in the first quarter they had a penalty stroke against them turned down by referral. They also appealed after Germany scored the goal, but sadly this time around luck was not with them. And then the disease of conceding late goals came to haunt them once more in the match.
It was a game that India shouldn’t have lost, more so because they created quite a few chances. But not for once could they test the German custodian really once. On the other hand, PR Sreejesh pulled off three outstanding saves in the game but was distinctly unlucky to concede the goal. His efforts brought Sreejesh the man of the match award but he would have probably been happier had India at least salvaged a point from the game.
The Germans were a well-knit side. They always backed and supported each other and never allowed the Indians too much of open space. Also their speed at times caught India napping with Benedikt Furk and Moritz Furste playing an outstanding game.
India will now really have to find some extra energy and determination when they play Argentina here Sunday. Even a draw would be a bad result for them as nothing less than three points will keep alive their hopes in the event.