The Indian women's hockey team ended a three-match losing streak by upstaging Japan 2-0 in its penultimate pool match at the FIH World Cup at the Jockey Club in Rosario, Argentina, on Sunday. The team -- which was convincingly beaten in their first three matches by the Netherlands, Australia and Germany -- led 1-0 at half-time, with Rani Rampal scoring in the 14th minute.
Kim Lammers scored a dramatic winning goal two minutes from time as Netherlands beat Germany 2-1 in Pool A to reach the semi-finals of the women's hockey World Cup Sunday.
High on confidence, but ravaged by injuries, the Indian hockey team faces a stiff challenge from reigning Olympic champions Germany in their third preliminary league match in the FIH Champions Trophy, in Melbourne, on Tuesday.
Roelant Oltmans fully understands what a men's hockey medal would mean to India's success-starved fans but the Dutch coach will not burden his players with the pressure of bringing one home from the Rio Games.
'They're a great team. You can't give away opportunities like that to a fantastic team like that.'
Archrivals India and Pakistan have been clubbed in the same pool in the 2010 hockey World Cup, which begins in Delhi on February 28. Apart from 1975 champions India and four-time winners Pakistan, Pool B also has Australia, Spain, England and South Africa. Defending champions Germany is the top seed in Pool A, which also has the Netherlands, Korea, New Zealand, Canada and Argentina.
India conceded a golden goal to allow Spain notch up a 2-1 vicotry in the bronze medal match.
"The start has been good. In the tournament, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Argentina and Australia are some of the best teams. We have started off well and need to keep the momentum going and continue with same energy," Sardar said on Thursday.
A summary of the country's athletes' showing at the Tokyo Games on Thursday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday.
India's third-place finish at the Hockey World League Finals is a timely reminder of the improvement the team has made under Oltmans. But one must not get carried away.
A summary of the country's athletes' showing at the Tokyo Games on Tuesday, August 3.
India's hopes of making it to the quarter-finals of the Junior Hockey World Cup were dashed after they were held 3-3 by Korea in their must-win third and final Group C match, at the Dhyan Chand stadium, in Delhi, on Tuesday. A brilliant hat-trick by Seungju You saw the Koreans rally from 1-3 down and snatch a place in the last eight stage.
While players and teams from other participating nations can venture out as and when they wish, individual outings are a big 'No' for the Pakistani players. They are allowed to visit places in groups only and have to mandatorily inform the security a day in advance.
China will take on champions Germany and Argentina will play the top-ranked Dutch in the Olympic women's hockey semi-finals on Wednesday. Three-times champions Australia came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with China on Monday but it was not enough to get them into the semi-finals. The draw meant both teams finished with 10 points, but China, who finished fourth in Athens in 2004, went through to the last four as the second team behind the Netherlands.
40 years back, on 15 March 1975, the Indian Men Hockey team accomplished a historic feat against Pakistan in the finals of the 1975 Hockey World Cup wherein they beat the opponents 2-1 to earn the title of 'Champions'.
Forward Shamsher Singh on Monday said winning the Olympic bronze medal was just ticking off one box in the new beginning for the Indian men's hockey team, which aspires to be the world number one side.
World No.1 Australia scored all their goals from penalty corners through Jeremy Hayward (4th minute), Blake Govers (19th) and skipper Aran Zalewski (37th) at the Kalinga Stadium.
With less than 10 days to go for their opening match in the FIH Champions Trophy in London, Indian men's hockey team chief coach Roelant Oltmans said he is eyeing a top three finish in the high-profile tournament. Oltmans believes if things go according to plans, the team will stand a good chance to win a medal in the Champions Trophy. "Everybody knows we are good in the knockout stage. But Champions Trophy this year will be slightly different and we need to finish top two to play the final and be top four to play for bronze. "It will be interesting to see how our players will cope to this situation and face the challenge. Our realistic expectation is to finish in the top three," he said about his expectations from the event.
Roelant Oltmans, the Indian men's hockey team's chief coach, says the new competition format of having quarter-finals in place of direct semi-finals at the upcoming Rio Olympics is not only beneficial for the Men in Blue but all small teams too.
Germany, as the locomotive of Europe, has much to teach India in manufacturing and process management, says Rajeev Srinivasan.
Indian girls kept their quarter-final hopes alive in the junior hockey World Cup with a 2-0 win over New Zealand, in Monchengladbach, Germany, on Sunday.
An inspired Pakistan put their disappointing showing in the pool matches behind to stun World Cup and Olympics silver medallists the Netherlands 4-2 and reach the semi-finals of the Hero Champions Trophy hockey tournament, in Bhubaneswar, on Thursday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
India's star drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh was on Tuesday named among the five nominees for the men's Player of the Year honour.
Rain spoiled India's party as they struggled in heavy pitch conditions to lose 0-1 to Olympic champions Argentina and crash out of title race in the Hockey World League (HWL) Final, in Bhubaneswar, on Friday.
Hockey greats Balbir Singh (Sr) and Ajit Pal Singh hailed India's Asian Games gold medal-winning effort but felt the players still have a mountain to climb to succeed at the World and Olympic level.
PR Sreejesh says his dual role as India hockey captain and goalkeeper is to allow his team mates the freedom to express themselves in Rio but knows he must keep them focused on the medal hunt in the "magic world" of the Olympics. The 30-year-old was second choice at London 2012 behind then captain Bharat Chetri but has since established himself as the clear number one. He was named captain for the recent Champions Trophy in London where India rested some seniors, including regular captain Sardar Singh, ahead of the Rio Games.
Rupinder Pal Singh struck twice as drag-flickers ruled the roost to help India register a fighting 3-2 win over Ireland in their opening match of the men's hockey competition at the Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, on Saturday.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
India won the gold medal in the Junior Hockey World Cup after defeating Belgium 2-1 at the Major Dyan Chand stadium in Lucknow on Sunday.
Jean-Laurent Kierffer scored a brace as France stunned European champions Belgium 5-4 in a nail-biting encounter to enter the semi-finals of the ongoing Hero Junior Men's Hockey World Cup in Delhi on Thursday.
Aiming for their best finish in 16 years, hosts India would find much-improved Argentina a tough nut to crack when the two team's lock horns in the seventh-eighth place play-off match of the hockey World Cup in New Delhi on Friday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
"Through his outstanding performance at the Olympics, Sreejesh has brought joy to Indians around the world. As a fellow-Malayali, I take tremendous pride in his achievement," Vayalil, Chairman and Managing Director of VPS Healthcare, was quoted as saying in a media statement.
Manpreet (30th minute, 44th) was the star for sixth- ranked India, while Varun Kumar (17th) and Harjeet Singh (49th) also sounded the board.
