It was England who out India out of the 2008 Olympics with their brilliance at the qualifiers in Santiago. Will they land another landmark punch today?
It was England who out India out of the 2008 Olympics with their brilliance at the qualifiers in Santiago. Will they land another landmark punch today?
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England players celebrate after defeating India in their final match of
the Olympic Qualifiers in Santiago, Chile on March 9, 2008. PIC/AFP
It's also another coincidence that India striker Shivendra Singh, who received his first and only yellow card in a career spanning over 100 international caps on this day two years ago, makes his comeback from a two-match ban to take on the Englishmen.
Just as India's defeat to the Brits (this England side played under the name of Great Britain in Chile) in the final of the six-nation qualifier on March 9, 2008 saw them fail to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 80 years leading to a downslide of Indian hockey, a win today could well see the revival of the national game. That of course we hope is not by coincidence!
However, England, have other ideas. Skipper Barry Middleton, James Tindall and Ashley Jackson, who essayed key roles in ensuring that Indian hockey was absent in Beijing, are keen to prove those victories were not by coincidence. And they believe a win today can help them drive home that point.
"After we won (the qualfiers), it was shocking to read media reports that India dominated both matches while we only scored the goals. I'd like to clarify that we dominated both the matches (wining 3-2 on March 6 and 2-0 in the final on March 9)," England's ace drag flicker and FIH's 2009 Young player of the year, Jackson told MiD DAY.
u00a0The 22-year-old is currently third in the ongoing World Cup's top goal-scorer's list with three strikes to his name and wants to continue his fine run against India. "We are playing well here and a win against India will give us a boost in the semi-finals. My drag flicks are going fine and I hope I can convert the chances that come my way today," added Jackson, who slams as many as a 100 flicks in a normal practice session.
The reigning Europeans champions upset Australia in their World Cup opener thereby throwing Pool B open. However, the Aussies have come back strongly since and have six points from three games, even as England sit atop the Pool with a comfortable nine points from three outings.
That game!
Skipper Middleton, who scored one of the two goals against India in the final in Chile, recalls that tournament very clearly. "We began planning and practicing for the qualifiers, or rather for that one game against India, almost six months in advance. We knew we had to beat India if we needed to go to Beijing," said Middleton, England's most experienced player with 202 international caps to his name.u00a0u00a0
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u00a0In fact, Middleton felt that the Chile win was even more important than England's 3-2 win over Australia here.
"That tournament was played under immense pressure. We just could not afford to miss the Olympic bus and India had a good record against us going into Chile. The pressure then is incomparable even to this World Cup," Middleton added.
u00a0However, confident as England may seem, they are taking nothing for granted against the hosts.
James Tindall, another key member of this side, said: "We must take note of the fact that India's ace drag flicker Sandeep Singh was not there in Chile. We must be wary of him," said Tindall, who's scored twice in the competition so far.
India vs England Live on Ten Sports 20:00
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