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India women's hockey team panned after 'worst match'

July 28, 2021 12:08 IST

India’s women's hockey team coach Sjoerd Marijne was livid after the 1-4 defeat to Great Britain, saying 'individual performances just weren't good enough'.

India's players react after conceding a goal during the Olympics women's hockey match against Great Britain on Wednesday.

IMAGE: India's players react after conceding a goal during the Tokyo Olympics women's hockey match against Great Britain on Wednesday. Photograph: Bernadett Szabo/Reuters

India's women's hockey team coach Sjoerd Marijne described the 1-4 loss to Great Britain on Wednesday as his side's "worst match" of the ongoing Olympics and lambasted the players for failing to raise their game in the crucial match.

 

He did not mince words in criticising his players after India wasted several chances and suffered their third consecutive defeat in Pool A, which has reduced their quarter-final chances.

"This was our worst match. We always try to play for a six (out of 10) for each individual, and I don't think each individual today played for a six. Bad decisions, bad choices and I'm pretty disappointed by this," the Dutchman said after the match.

"The goal was too early, but the individual performances just weren't good enough. I can keep analysing what went wrong tactically, but it starts with every individual reaching their level and that didn't happen today."

India had earlier lost 1-5 to world No.1 the Netherlands before slumping to a 0-2 defeat to Germany.

Rani Rampal's side will play Ireland next, on Friday.

The Indians needed at least a point from the game to be safe but they now will have to win their remaining two matches against Ireland and South Africa to harbour hopes of qualifying for the knock-out stage.

Despite the setback, Marijne insisted that they still have a chance of progressing to the knock-out round and asked his players to introspect.

"We still have chances. There are still six points to get and that can be enough for the quarters. That's what we're all about, that's our goal and that's what I said to the girls," the coach said.

"But they (players) really need to think how can this happen that our individual level went so down."

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