Enduring a forgettable campaign, bottom-placed Indian women’s hockey team can’t afford squandering any more chances if it fancies upsetting defending champions Great Britain on Wednesday.
After a 1-5 drubbing against world number one the Netherlands, the Indians players lifted their game by leaps and bounds to give third-ranked Germany a run for their money before losing 0-2 in their next Pool A match.
But two consecutive defeats have definitely pegged the side back. India created a lot of scoring opportunities against Germany but finishing was lacking from the forward line. On one occasion, Vandana Katariya was denied by the goal post too.
But not converting the penalty stroke was a huge miss.
However, the Rani Rampal-led side can take a lot of heart from its performance against the Germans given that it kept the intensity and fight intact till the final hooter.
With two defeats from as many games, the Indian women are currently lying at the bottom of the six-team Pool A, which is being headed by Netherlands, followed by Germany, Britain, Ireland and South Africa.
But these are still early days with three matches each remaining for all the teams. Top four sides from each pool of six will qualify for the quarterfinals.
Ranked 11th in the world, India stand a chance to make the quarterfinals but for that to happen they will have to outplay seventh-ranked Ireland and South Africa, who are placed 16th.