Wins Over Germany, Netherlands In Pro League 'solid Stepping Stone' Heading Into WC And Asiad: Fulton

Wins over Germany, Netherlands in Pro League solid stepping stone heading into WC and Asiad: Fulton (Image Source: IANS)

FIH Pro League: As the Indian men's hockey team registered confidence-boosting victories over the reigning world champions Germany and the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medallists the Netherlands at the FIH Pro League, head coach Craig Fulton stated such wins built a solid stepping stone for the team heading into the FIH World Cup and Asian Games.

India endured a difficult start to the Pro League during the home leg in Rourkela, where they suffered defeats against Belgium and Argentina. Signs of improvement emerged during the Hobart leg. After opening with a 0-2 defeat to Spain, India bounced back to hold hosts Australia to a 2-2 draw. That followed a 1-1 draw against Spain. However, the shootout in both those matches went in the favour of the opposition. The squad regrouped well in the concluding fixture, winning the shootout 3-1 after a fiercely-contested 1-1 draw against Australia.

In Rotterdam, India produced two of their finest results of the campaign, defeating Germany 3-1 and the Netherlands 3-2. Against two of the strongest defensive units in international hockey, India scored nine goals across four matches, with five coming from field play and four from penalty corners. These numbers highlighted an important shift in India's attacking approach, with the side no longer relying solely on its penalty-corner prowess but was consistently creating and converting chances from open play.

The momentum continued in London, where India remained unbeaten in regulation time in all four matches against Pakistan and England. The team registered twin victories over Pakistan, including a commanding 7-1 win, while holding England to draws in both meetings, earning one shootout victory. India’s defence also stood up, conceding just six goals across the four matches, with only one coming from field play.

The goals-scored column from the London leg showed an impressive 13 strikes – seven from field play, five from penalty corners and one from a penalty stroke, underlining the team's growing versatility in front of goal.

India's improved attacking play also reflected in the spread of goalscorers throughout the European campaign. Dilpreet Singh and Jugraj Singh finished as India's joint-highest scorers with four goals each, while Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh and Nilakanta Sharma contributed three goals apiece.

The spread of goals across the squad highlighted a more balanced attacking unit, with multiple players stepping up in crucial moments rather than the team depending on one or two individuals.

“One of the biggest takeaways from this Pro League run has been watching the team’s confidence grow,” said India’s Chief Coach, Craig Fulton, while analysing the team’s performance. “Wins over Germany and the Netherlands, plus a strong showing against England, prove that when we stick to our game plan, we’re capable of matching and beating anyone in the world. It’s a solid stepping stone heading into the World Cup and Asian Games, but we are still focused on tightening up our performance and staying consistent from quarter to quarter."

Fulton was particularly impressed with the team’s composure and hunger to do well. "Even more encouraging is how much this group has matured,” he added. “We’ve stayed calm under pressure, adjusted to different playing styles and pulled out wins in tight games. That kind of experience is exactly what we’ll need. The World Cup and Asian Games will test our resilience and belief, and I think we’re building the right foundation for it.”

Harmanpreet Singh, who came back to lead the side after skipping the Hobart leg of the Pro League due to personal reasons, spoke about the return of confidence. He was especially happy that the team’s performance showed it has all bases covered.

Fulton was particularly impressed with the team’s composure and hunger to do well. "Even more encouraging is how much this group has matured,” he added. “We’ve stayed calm under pressure, adjusted to different playing styles and pulled out wins in tight games. That kind of experience is exactly what we’ll need. The World Cup and Asian Games will test our resilience and belief, and I think we’re building the right foundation for it.”

Harmanpreet further said, "One of the biggest positives from this Pro League campaign has been the contribution from every department. Our defence has stayed compact, the midfield has controlled the game well and our forwards have created good opportunities inside the circle and scored many field goals. Having all bases covered gives us confidence, but we also know there are areas where we can continue to improve before the World Cup and the Asian Games.”

Article Source: IANS