Maintaining a clean slate, favourites India will fancy their chances when they take on a below-par but unpredictable Korea in the semifinals of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Monday.
Paris Olympics bronze medallist India have been in rollicking form in the tournament so far, registering five wins out of five league matches. The Harmanpreet Singh-led side started their campaign with a 3-0 win over hosts China and then trounced Japan and Malaysia 5-1 and 8-1 respectively.
India then beat Korea 3-1 before eking out a narrow 2-1 win over arch-rivals Pakistan.
It has been a commanding performance from the Indians as they excelled in every department be it forwardline, midfield or defence.
The most promising part of India’s performance in the league stages has been the form of the strikers.
Scoring field goals was a major concern in Paris but here the young forwardline comprising Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek, Uttam Singh, Gurjot Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal and others have exceeded expectations.
Young midfielder Raj Kumar Pal, too, has shone bright, scoring some fine field goals. Besides, veteran Manpreet Singh, vice-captain Vivek Sagar Prasad and Nilakanta Sharma has excelled in the midfield.
The Indian defence too has performed stoutly, conceding just four goals with goalkeepers Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj Karkera not letting the team feel the void left the retirement of the talismanic PR Sreejesh.
Harmanpreet, one of the best dragflickers in the world currently, has led from the front and has continued his good form of Paris, converting as many as five penalty corners.
When India struggled for field goals, Harmanpreet stood up with his penalty corner conversions.
Harmanpreet also has an able understudy in young Jugraj Singh, who is right now the fastest dragflicker in the world.
But a knockout game is a new beginning for any side and the Indians can ill afford to take Korea lightly as they can spring a surprise on their day, evidence of which was their last-gasp equaliser to draw 3-3 against Malaysia and keep their semifinal hopes alive.
The Indian defence will also have to be cautious about not conceding too many penalty corners as in Jihun Yang, the tournament’s leading scorer with seven goals, Korea possesses a potent dragflicker.
In the other semifinal of the day, Pakistan will take on hosts China.
FIFA coach capacity building workshop to be held at AIFF NCE in Kolkata
New Delhi, (PTI) The FIFA coach capacity building workshop, a vital component of the world football governing body’s Women’s League Development, which falls under the broader FIFA Women’s Development Programme, will be held at the AIFF National Centre of Excellence (NCE) in Kolkata from September 16 to 18. The workshop will be conducted by FIFA experts Simon Toselli and Stéphanie Spielmann.
Toselli, a FIFA women’s football technical expert, had previously conducted the women’s football strategy workshop in New Delhi in June this year. He has been collaborating with 25 countries on different projects and implementation of strategies (AFC, OFC, CAF and UEFA).
Spielmann, a former player, is a UEFA A-License coach and a FIFA and OFC instructor. She has been part of the FIFA coach mentorship programme with the Belgium women’s national team.
She has coached the senior, U19 and U16 women’s teams of Tahiti and has also been the women’s football development officer in the island nation.
The FIFA coach capacity building workshop will be attended by coaches from the Indian women’s national teams, IWL, and IWL 2 clubs, and various other stakeholders.
The event will feature theoretical sessions in the mornings, practical field sessions in the afternoons, and dedicated one-on-one breakout sessions for personalised interaction with the experts, allowing coaches to address specific questions and concerns.
