India beat Ireland 2-0 in their third group stage game, to leave themselves heading into the two big clashes against Belgium and Australia with a sense of confidence, and more importantly, with assurance that neither is really a must-win to make the quarterfinals.
The goals came in the first half, through a penalty stroke and a penalty corner from captain Harmanpreet Singh. But unlike the game against Argentina, India were a sustained attacking threat in that first half. The tempo kept Ireland on the backfoot, they managed superb passing moves and combinations between the attackers, all of which had been missing in the opening two games.
India fly off the traps
Craig Fulton's side made their intent clear right from the off, despite Ireland's high press. India had no answers to Argentina's high press yesterday, and it ended up in way too many passes exchanged between the defenders.
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But here in the early exchanges, they made more passes through the lines, the best of which came from Sumit, who was in a bit of a cul-de-sac on the left wing, but found a flowing ball through to Manpreet Singh, who was in acres of space in midfield, who then led a move forward for India to win a penalty corner.
The move that led to India winning the penalty stroke was outstanding quick attacking hockey as well. Gurjant Singh turned possession over high up the field, and then exchanged passes with Mandeep Singh before a tackle in the circle saw India win the stroke that Harmanpreet converted with aplomb.
India had 11 circle entries and 9 shots in the first half. They should have had a few more goals too, but their finishing let them down, despite creating enough chances.
Lalit Upadhyay and Mandeep both had chances to extend India's lead either side of Harmanpreet's second goal, but both of them took too long to get a shot away and saw their shots getting blocked by the Irish defenders.
PC conversions need to improve
Yesterday, we'd written on these pages that as long as India manage to stay solid at the back, they always have their skipper Harmanpreet waiting to win them games. That's exactly what he did today.
The penalty stroke was as perfect as can be, as he placed the ball to the goalkeeper's left and into the side-netting. His penalty corner conversion rate might be a cause for concern though. He's won further PCs from some of his dragflicks but he has scored only twice from 15 penalty corner attempts so far in the opening three games.
India have barely attempted a variation either. Amit Rohidas and Sanjay are in the squad as backup dragflickers, but they barely get a chance if Harmanpreet is on the pitch. Of all the penalty corners they've won in the opening three games, India have attempted a variation only once. With the revolution of penalty corner defending, and first rushers being as swift as they are, India need to give themselves more options against the better sides that they will face in the next week or so.
A second half to forget
As good as India were in the first half, they will want to consign that second half straight into the bin. They conceded ten penalty corners in the second half and, even though PR Sreejesh was solid in goal against those dragflicks, India cannot afford to be so generous with Australia or Belgium. The likes of Jeremy Hayward, Blake Govers, Alexander Hendrickx and Tom Boon won't let India get away as lightly as the Irish dragflickers did in this game.
Nor did India pose any significant attacking threat in the second half. It might have been a product of the scoreline at half-time, but India didn't show any urgency, they slowed down completely, and the result of that was a complete shortage of attacking opportunities.
As Belgium and Australia come calling, that first half against Ireland is a reference point for India; they just need to do that for four quarters instead of just two.