Women’s coach Sjoerd Marijne rues wasted opportunities as India suffer third straight loss by going down 1-4 to GB; quarter-final chances appear bleak
India players are dejected after losing 1-4 to Great Britain in Tokyo yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
A livid Indian women’s hockey team coach Sjoerd Marijne described the 1-4 loss to Great Britain as his side’s “worst match” of the ongoing Olympics and lambasted the players for failing to raise their game in the crucial match.
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The Indians were guilty of wasting opportunities in their first two games and the trend continued on Wednesday at the Oi Hockey Stadium as Great Britain punished them through strikes from Hannah Martin (2nd and 19th minute), Lily Owsley (41st minute) and Grace Balsdon (57th minute).
For India, Sharmila Devi scored the lone goal in the 23rd minute.
Sjoerd Marijne
“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.
‘Not good enough’
“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 Netherlands before slumping to a 0-2 defeat against Germany.
Rani Rampal’s side will next play Ireland on Friday.
Crucial games
The Indians needed at least a point from this game to be safe but they now will have to win their remaining two matches against Ireland and South Africa to harbour any hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage.
Despite the setback, Marijne insisted that they still have a chance of progressing to the knockout 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.”
Also Read: Tokyo Olympics: Superb PV Sindhu storms into quarterfinals
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