Putting behind the frustration of ending third at Asian Games, the Indian girls’s crew will look to money in on house benefit and safe a ticket to Paris because it faces the USA in its FIH Olympic Qualifiers opener in Ranchi on Saturday.
Indian girls’s hockey crew captain Savita Punia with teammate Bichu Devi Kharibam and head coach Janneke Schopman(PTI)
Hosts India, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Japan, US, Chile and New Zealand are the eight groups vying for the highest three slots right here to e-book their Paris berths.
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The Paris Olympics might be held from July 26 to August 11 this yr.
World quantity 5 Germany are the very best ranked crew within the match, whereas India are a rung beneath in sixth.
New Zealand are ninth within the rankings chart, adopted by Japan (eleventh), Chile (14th), US (fifteenth), Italy (nineteenth) and Czech Republic (twenty fifth).
India are positioned in Pool B alongside New Zealand, Italy, and the United States, whereas Germany, former Asian Games champions Japan, Chile and Czech Republic are in Pool A.
After the US sport, India will meet New Zealand (January 14) and Italy (January 16). The semi-finals might be performed on January 18 and the ultimate is scheduled on January 19.
In modern-day hockey, rankings do not maintain a lot significance.
Since 1983, India and the US have performed towards one another 15 occasions, out of which the Americans got here out victories on 9 events and the Indians on simply 4 with two matches ending in attracts.
Going by statistics, it will not be a cakewalk for the Indians and so they must carry out their ‘A’ sport to outwit the Americans.
“We did not qualify for the Olympics from the Asian Games and we know it was a missed opportunity. But we don’t dwell on the past,” India’s chief coach Janneke Schopman had stated on the pre-tournament press convention.
“We are hoping to do well in this tournament. We need to be better (than before) and if we play to our best, we can qualify for the Olympics (from here).”
The build-up to the match has been removed from rosy for the Indians with veteran striker Vandana Katariya being dominated out of the occasion simply 9 days previous to kick-off after fracturing her cheekbone throughout a coaching session.
Vandana, who not too long ago grew to become the primary girl to earn 300 caps for the Indian crew, was a significant cog within the ahead line. She has been changed by younger Baljeet Kaur.
The crew will certainly miss Vandana’s companies as she has been a key member for a decade and has competed in all main competitions, together with the Rio and Tokyo Olympics. She can also be the primary Indian girls hockey participant to attain a hat-trick on the Summer Games.
Going ahead, the Indians would look to enhance upon their penalty conversion price which has been an issue space for lengthy.
Just earlier than this match, the dragflickers had a brief stint with former India stalwart Rupinderpal Singh, which ought to maintain them in good stead within the coming matches.
The Indian girls had wasted loads of penalty corners within the tournaments since successful the Asian Champions Trophy right here, together with within the Asian Games.
“Rupinder has the expertise as he is an experienced player. He knows the pressure on the top of ‘D’. It was a great help for the likes of Gurjit Kaur and Deepika to fine-tune their skills. I am very happy with that,” Schopman stated.
In Vandana’s absence, the onus might be on the likes of Lalresiami, Sangita Kumari, Deepika and Baljeet to ship the products within the forwardline, whereas the defence might be managed by Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, and Monika.
Nisha, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Neha, Navneet Kaur, Salima Tete, Sonika, Jyoti, and Beauty Dungdung will function within the midfield.
Meanwhile, in different matches of the day, Germany will face Chile, Japan will tackle Czech Republic, and New Zealand will sq. off towards Italy.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
