‘There were nerves’: India coach reveals what went wrong in must-win Australia draw
India's women's hockey team coach admitted that nerves played a significant role in the disappointing draw against Australia, which squashed their hopes for a World Cup semifinal berth. The match was marred by a lack of rhythm and various unforced errors. The missed chances to score were particularly costly, but the coach still took pride in the team's historical accomplishment of finishing…
NEW DELHI: India women's hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne admitted his team's nerves impacted their 0-0 draw with Australia in a critical match that could have secured their place in the World Cup semifinals. Defeat to Australia eliminated India from the semifinal race, and they were relegated to a fifth-sixth place playoff instead. Marijne expressed disappointment with his team's performance, noting that they didn't execute the game plan they had.
The draw itself was a positive, but India's inability to capitalize on chances proved costly. The Dutch coach identified penalty-corner conversions and composure in front of the goal as areas for improvement. Despite the loss, Marijne urged his team to recognize their progress and learn from the match. India's best-ever World Cup finish is fourth place, set in 1974.
The draw marks a significant milestone, as reaching the fifth-sixth playoff is a historic achievement. Marijne expressed pride in his team, saying they all gave their best and will learn from this experience.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
