I must admit I had such high hopes for a really good start to the tournament and a good solid win for India against Sri Lanka. That was not to be. Sri Lanka have just played their second match in two days and had been thoroughly beaten by Pakistan 14-0. So India should have had an easy game and a much better result. 8-0 is a very poor against a team ranked 40th in the world.
This result could prove very costly later in this tournament. If India don't win the rest of their games, and they still need to play an in-form and very experienced Pakistan, they could meet South Korea in the crossover (semi-final) and then Pakistan again in the final.
With upwards of 35 shots at goal and too many to count 25-yard circle penetrations, India just wasted far too many opportunities. The same problems are still apparent that may in the end prove a heart-breaker.
In the first quarter India started well with a goal in the 6th minute by Nikkin Thimmaiah, followed up in quick succession by two penalty-corner goals by VR Raghunath and Rupinderpal Singh. After that things started to revert back to India of old.
The second quarter saw two more goals by Chinglensana Singh and Ramandeep Singh to finish the first half 5-0.
I thought the second half would see a resurgent India knowing this was Sri Lanka's second game and fitness may have proved an issue and that India needs to score 9 more goals to keep in touch with Pakistan's goal-feast (they beat the Lankans 14-0 yesterday). But Sri Lanka came out very determined to restrict India's scoring chances.
The game was played predominately between the 25's and although they couldn't penetrate India's defence, they severely restricted India's much vaunted goal-scoring engine. An injury to Gurwinder Singh Chandi, who was to take no further part in the game, may have hampered India's ability to score. However, Ramandeep forced a well-earned penalty corner right on the third-quarter hooter, off which Rupinderpal scored a great flick into the top of the net.
In the fourth quarter, India attacked with better purpose but Sri Lanka defended again with great vigour. India once again had numerous circle penetrations but poor finishing let them down again. Penalty corner goal by Rupinderpal at the start of the last quarter and a field goal by Ramandeep finished the game off with a whimper.
If India are to win this tournament, they need to start to get better at finishing and being more thorough in front of goals, far too many mistakes. Learn to be ruthless, India.
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