A day after netting the first hat trick by a US women’s field hockey player in an Olympic game in more than 30 years, Katie Bam was at it again on Thursday. Our boys played their heart out but luck was not on their side. Not being able to convert a single penalty corner despite earning as many as five during the final minutes speaks of deep-rooted issues – both psychological and tactical.
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Bam scored her fifth goal overall in the tournament after taking an India defender baseline and dribbling back into the center of the circle to wind up for the shot.
“I’m not pleased with today’s performance”. In the last women’s pool round on Saturday, the Spanish, who have a frightful goal differential, must beat the winless South Koreans to heap pressure on China to beat New Zealand to make the quarterfinals, instead.
Playing the fly position, in which she is one of four position players in goal defending against the corner, Kolojejchick’s slick stickwork helped deflect a Japan shot high and out of bounds to preserve a 2-0 lead in the second quarter. But the hiring of Roelant Oltmans, one of the greatest modern day coaches, has brought stability to the team as it goes to Rio as one of the contenders for a medal.
Netherlands then put huge pressure on the Indian defence and, in the process, secured three more penalty corners in quick succession. “You should just stick to your structure”. While it is inevitable that the legacy of India’s eight gold medals in hockey will be invoked if they win a medal, the belief in the team seems to come as much from their current form as it does from their past glory. “That gives you a bit of a confidence booster to continue to propel putting goals away”.
Other changes include the implementation of 40-second time-outs following penalty corner awards and the scoring of a goal.
On their quarterfinal prospects, the coach said: “A quarterfinal is always a strong game”.
“Games like this are statement games for us”, Bam said to the Associated Press. Sreejesh’s men had managed only a solitary field goal so far, while the Dutch boasted a massive goal difference of 12.
The repeated Canadian assault finally paid off as the Indians could not sustain the onslaught and conceded a penalty corner in the 52nd minute and Tupper was again on the target (2-2).
Bam took the ball up the left side in the 41st minute, faked out the defender with strong stick work and fired between two defenders to send the ball through Punia’s legs and put the USA up 2-0. “It will be an exciting match”.
India’s captain and goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh said they would have to pull up their socks before the big match.
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“The energy level was a bit low, we conceded from penalty corners and some poor goals. We got opportunities and could not convert them”, the Kerala lad said.
