Speaking to ANI, Oltmans said that it was heartbreaking for the players as they have been working very hard for this prestigious quadrennial event.
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“Of course I’m disappointed and not only about losing the quarterfinal, because you can win matches, you can lose”. It is heartbreaking for my players. “I only want people to pray for us”, he added.
With this loss, India finished their six-team Pool “B” campaign on a disappointing note after returning to Olympics after 36 years. On their quarterfinal prospects, the coach said: “A quarterfinal is always a strong game”.
“We had the youngest average age of all the teams participating at this year’s Olympics”.
“You never quite know how you’re going to move until you get here”, Parnham said.
Thanks to two more goals from Katie Bam – who had a hat trick in Wednesday’s win over Japan – and a full-team effort on defense, the US willed its way to a 3-0 win over India at the Olympic Hockey Centre in Rio in what’s fast becoming a historic 2016 Olympics for a usa seeking its first medal in 32 years. Netherlands scored both their goals from penalty corners through Rogier Hoffman (32nd minute) and Mink van der Weerden (54th), while India’s lone goal came from the stick of VR Raghunath (38th).
The save was to prove crucial.
Belgium, on the other hand, topped Pool A with four wins out of five games.
Goalie Jackie Briggs kept the USA alive in a scoreless first half, and they scored first against the run of play when Michelle Vittese scooped up loose ball, drove into the circle, and lashed in a ground shot.
These couple of quaters were frustrating for India, who nearly camped inside the Canadian half for the better part of the 30 minutes.
Leading by 5-0, Argentina dropped the intensity in the second half but the Indians were not able to make the most out of the situation. Bam ran with the ball towards the Indian circle and cut back to shoot between Savita’s pads to double her tally for the game.
The Belgian midfield marshaled superbly by skipper John-John Dohmen was in full flow while the Indians were on the defensive for most of the time.
Penalty corner specialist Tom Boon tested Sreejesh but the Indian showed fine skills by diving to his right and denying Belgium the lead in the 44th minute. Dockier drew parity for Belgium in the 34th minute. Sreejesh pulled off another superb save, this time from Emmanuel Stockbroekx before pulling off a save from Belgium’s second PC.
India took the lead in first quarter but failed to win the match.
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Ramandeep Singh deflected a ball in near the right post from a long slap from V.R. Raghunath to make it 2-1 for India in the 41st minute. However, even after having the lead, India could not carry on with the same, and had to lose out to the opponents with a 3-1 final score line. India were soon forced into pulling off Sreejesh and play with eleven field players going on the attack.
