As the only unbeaten team in the competition, the Indian women’s hockey team will be expected to continue the winning momentum when it takes on Korea in their Asian Champions Trophy semifinal clash on November 4 in a repeat of not just their last league match in Raipur but also of the 2018 final. The team, though, is aware that knockouts can play out very differently.
India beat Korea 5-0 on November 2 to set up a rematch in the last four but coach Janneke Schopman is wary. “I expect a different Korean team, they will defend better. They will try to close us down, defend tighter on the circle and we will get less space. They are a difficult team because they are dangerous on counters. We just have to be sharp in defence; if we don’t and they score one, we will have an uphill battle. But if we use our awareness and speed, we will be ready too,” Schopman admitted on the eve of the semifinal.
The Korea game was India’s most dominating so far, both in terms of the team’s scoring and the rhythm among the players. One of the key members of the side has been Neha, holding the midfield together and being the tireless feeder in the middle while also moving up and down to bolster other areas on the field. The Indian midfield, in fact, has been its biggest strength.
“The coach has told us there is no fixed position for any player, anyone can move anywhere as per requirements. Yes we tend to hurry a bit inside the circle trying to score and that is something we have worked on, the need to be calm and maybe take a second extra before getting into a better position or find the right player,” Neha admitted.
She also made the team’s intent clear. “In the semifinal at AG, we played a lot on the back foot. We have realised that we have to play aggressively. Whenever we play attacking hockey, we do well; when we get defensive, the other teams get the upper hand,” she declared. The intent was on show on Thursday with Neha being one of the scorers as the Indians pushed hard throughout the match.
A victory will put India in its fourth final in the tournament’s history and against the winner of the other semifinal between China and Japan and while Japan holds a slightly upper hand in their clashes, China’s recent performances and AG triumph makes them favourite.
