{"id":281643,"date":"2025-04-14T13:13:13","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T13:13:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/14\/hockey-returns-to-delhi-we-werent-fluid-why-harmanpreet-singh-and-co-couldnt-crack-the-german-defence\/"},"modified":"2025-04-14T13:13:14","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T13:13:14","slug":"hockey-returns-to-delhi-we-werent-fluid-why-harmanpreet-singh-and-co-couldnt-crack-the-german-defence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/14\/hockey-returns-to-delhi-we-werent-fluid-why-harmanpreet-singh-and-co-couldnt-crack-the-german-defence\/","title":{"rendered":"Hockey returns to Delhi: \u2018We weren\u2019t fluid\u2019 \u2013 Why Harmanpreet Singh and Co couldn\u2019t crack the German defence"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Hockey<\/div>


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On the day international hockey returned to the national capital after more than a decade, India and captain Harmanpreet Singh had an off day to be beaten 0-2 by a young German team at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The result in the first of two-match bilateral series, played on back-to-back days, was due to the impressive German defence and India\u2019s experimentations from penalty corner routines and a missed penalty stroke by the skipper.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s part of the game,\u201d Harmanpreet said. \u201cThe goalkeeper was deceived but made a good save. Overall we performed well, the way we managed the ball was good, but defensively we could\u2019ve done better.\u201d<\/p>\n

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pic.twitter.com\/ttadvsMEqx<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) October 23, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Germany made the most of Indian mistakes and went 2-0 up by halftime. Had India equalised from Harmanpreet\u2019s missed stroke a few minutes earlier, the team talk from head coach Craig Fulton at the break would have had a whole different vibe to it. But India paid the price for not taking their chances.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAfter the momentum of missing the stroke, to concede again after that, where we thought we would have gotten equal\u2026 it didn\u2019t happen for us,\u201d Fulton said. \u201cIn the first 4-5 minutes, we had some good play, then we made one mistake, they scored their first goal. We got back in with a chance to score from a stroke, didn\u2019t take it, and then made another mistake, it was 2-0.\u201d<\/p>\n

India started the match with a couple of \u2018ohhh!\u2019-inducing moments from the crowd but the first German goal, pretty much from their first attacking move, quietened them. Henrik Mertgens, on debut, put Germany up in the 4th minute. India responded well and had some bright moments in the second quarter, forcing a series of penalty corners. Amit Rohidas, Sanjay and Varun Kumar got opportunities to have a go, a couple of variations were tried, but even Harmanpreet couldn\u2019t find the target.<\/p>\n

At one time, it seemed India\u2019s pressure had paid off, as Dilpreet Singh celebrated converting a penalty corner rebound. Germany successfully challenged the goal, at the expense of a penalty stroke, which was saved brilliantly off Harmanpreet by 21-year-custodian Joshua Nnaji.<\/p>\n

It was not the only time the youngster came good during the afternoon. He again made some big saves to his right in the second half to deny the Indian captain. Lukas Windfeder\u2019s goal at the stroke of half time gave Germany the added cushion they were looking for.<\/p>\n

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Feeling the absence<\/h2>\n

In the first half, India clearly missed regular vice-captain Hardik Singh in midfield, as he usually sets the tempo for the team\u2019s attacking play.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look at what he can bring. The speed and the ability through the zone and his aerials, of course,\u201d Fulton said. \u201cWe\u2019re in a different phase. It wasn\u2019t too bad, but there was not much fire up front.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The love, The admiration, The support for our captain Harmanpreet Singh\ud83e\udd0d\ud83d\udc99#IndiaKaGame<\/a> #PFCINDvGER<\/a> #HockeyIndia<\/a> #GermanyTourOfIndia<\/a>
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.@CMO_Odisha<\/a> @IndiaSports<\/a> @Media_SAI<\/a>@sports_odisha<\/a> @limcaglucocharge @cocacola_india<\/a> @fihockey<\/a> @pfclindia<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/S7p0dZs17o<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) October 23, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In the third quarter, Harmanpreet nearly came up with a collector\u2019s item. With India pushing forward, he found himself in the attacking circle a few times. Controlling what seemed to be an overhit long pass, he showed exemplary ball control to drag it into his path from behind him and had a strike on goal that got half the stadium cheering. But the shot was just wide.<\/p>\n

It would have been some goal, but it summed up India\u2019s \u2013 and Harmanpreet\u2019s \u2013 afternoon. On multiple occasions \u2013 including the final action of the day \u2013 the few thousand fans who had turned up cheered loudly for an Indian goal, but in vain.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the first half was theirs overall but the second quarter was ours, in a sense,\u201d Fulton felt. \u201cWe missed a few connections up front, we weren\u2019t fluid. Normally we have a bit more goal shots. We are a bit more threatening, but we\u2019ve got another opportunity on Thursday.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Harmanpreet added, \u201cWe could have taken more risks, and could have fed more balls to the forwards.\u201d<\/p>\n