The Indian ladies’s hockey group put up a improbable show of ability and tenacity throughout their 1-0 victory over Australia within the quarterfinal match of the Tokyo Olympics on Monday. High on confidence and self-belief after the momentous victory, the Indian ladies’s hockey group has now firmly set its sights on the all-important semifinal encounter in opposition to Argentina on Wednesday. Much just like the Indian group, Argentina has additionally gone from power to power within the competitors, securing the semifinal berth after a convincing 3-0 victory in opposition to Germany within the quarterfinal on Monday.
The Indian Women’s Hockey Team, led by Rani Rampal, will rely on their latest expertise of taking part in in opposition to Argentina throughout their in depth tour of the nation in January this 12 months.
“We were extremely happy with our team performance against Australia, who are a world-class hockey team,” she mentioned.
“However, there is not much time to look back, and our focus is fully on the semifinal against Argentina. At this stage of the competition, matches do not get any easier. We are going to give everything we have on the field,” she added.
Rani alluded to the Indian Women’s Hockey Team’s latest tour of Argentina as one of many elements that might play a job heading into the match.
“Both teams will be relatively familiar with each other’s style of play as we faced each other in a few matches earlier in the year,” she mentioned.
“Having said that, an Olympic semifinal is a completely different equation and no tour game can recreate the same kind of intensity and atmosphere. This is surely the toughest test that our team will face. We are feeling confident about our games and have the necessary self-belief to put our best foot forward,”
Indian ladies’s hockey group chief coach Sjoerd Marijne mentioned Indian group will probably be focussing on the duty and staying within the second of their semifinal match.
“It will be a difficult match for us. I think Argentina is a good team. We played them in January and we know that Argentina is a hard team to beat. Their defence is very strong. We have to convert our goal-scoring opportunities like we converted the Penalty Corner against Australia,”
“It’s all about focussing on the task and staying in the moment and being busy with what we have to do well ourselves. I have told all the girls again that it’s about putting all the energy you have in the match,” mentioned Marijne.
India will tackle Argentina on the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo on Wednesday at 15:30 hrs IST.
