Boom (Belgium): India's campaign in the Champions Challenge Hockey tournament has been revived with a hard fought 3-2 win over England on Sunday.
After losing their opening match against New Zealand, India needed to win to stay alive in the tournament.
Joaquim Carvalho's statement after the 3-2 victory over England summed up the mood in the Indian camp.
"We needed this victory very badly," he said, looking relaxed while sipping a cup of coffee in the press centre. "I was a bit worried about the weather conditions and was relieved when the rains stopped during the last 20 minutes of the match."
The downpour did stop in time for Indian outside-left Prabhjot Singh to strike home the match-winner in the 54th minute. With three points from two games, India would breathe easy on Sunday and after a day's rest on Monday take on hosts Belgium.
Minutes before the crucial encounter between India and England, the rains came in as the turf filled up with water. Predictably, England dominated the opening minutes. They were faster on the counter; speedy with the ball and also put in more shoulder behind the crosses and the through balls. It was a little surprising that India were still finding it tough on the heavy turf. Instead of holding the ball, creating space for the crosses to the flanks, they decided to dribble past the English midfield.
England's counterattacks were swift and more than once in the opening minutes, India was caught on the wrong foot.
India still managed a first strike at their opponent when they earned a penalty corner but Sandeep's curved end of the stick couldn't cleanly grasp the ball.
On a wet turf, a heavy direct hit would have paid off.
But when England crashed one of their penalty corner flicks onto Sandeep Singh's knees and he painfully hobbled off, things seemed a bit bleak for India.
An error in the midfield was punished quite ruthlessly by India. They snatched the ball, sent it across to the right flank where a perfect cross found Gurbaj trapping beautifully and giving it to Minz who set it up for Rajpal. With a few feet space in front, the Indian forward lashed a strike that went past the England goalkeeper and almost tore the netting out.
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England answered with a couple of penalty corners. Adrian D'Souza did well to keep them out but off the fifth, the ball rebounded off his pads, popped up and before an Indian defender could clear it, Richard Mantell pounced and shot it between Adrian's pads.
Immediately after resumption, India earned a penalty corner and since Sandeep was on the bench, Dilip Tirkey came up and struck a goal with a direct hit that screamed off the goalkeeper's stick into the English goal. India led 2-1.
In the 49th minute, yet another Indian defensive error with both Adrian and Prabodh Tirkey going for the ball saw Jonty Clarke's hit enter the Indian goal after deflecting off Prabodh's stick.
The match winner came in the 54th minute when the rains stopped as the turf cleared up for the Indians to hold and play their short passing game. Yet another cross from the right found Prabhjot who picked up the ball and waited for England goalkeeper Brothers to commit himself before tapping it past him.
Joaquim Carvalho put Sandeep back into the team for the last ten minutes and used the aerial ball to ensure that England didn't build up too many moves.
Apart from the rain stopping in the last 20 odd minutes, the Indian coach said that 'Belgium's win over Argentina propped up the boys and they decided to win this game.'
"I think the tournament is wide open now and anything can happen," said Carvalho. "I don't underestimate any team and we would not take Belgium lightly on Tuesday."
Carvalho again laid emphasis on the fact that 'his team needs more experience and time to grow into better players. "They are young and it would be good if they are given the support."
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