Indian colts emerge triumphant
From Naveen Peter Lucknow, Dec 19, 2016, DHNS
Harendra's boys dish out strong show to beat Belgium 2-1 and end 15-year wait
Coming into the all-important final of the Hockey Junior World Cup, Roelant Oltmans had called for a ‘perfect game’ from the young Indian side. And on Sunday, the team didn’t disappoint the senior team’s head coach as they convincingly beat Belgium 2-1 to lift the World Cup.
The win also meant that the Indian colts ended a 15-year-long hiatus to win the world title. A Gagan Ajit Singh-led side had last won the Junior World Cup — their maiden title — in 2001 at Hobart.
Though the scoreline suggests a closely-fought affair, the Indians actually outplayed their opponents in every department of the game. While their defence continued with the fine show, not allowing the Belgians any room to attack, the forwards also joined the party this time, scoring two brilliant goals and consistently maintain the pressure on the Belgians.
Egged on by the 17,000-odd crowd at the Major Dhyan Chand stadium, the Indians hit the ground running from the very first minute. While the Belgians tried their best to stop the Indian charge, nothing came to their rescue on a night that had Indian dominance written all over it.
India could have taken the lead in the third minute itself when Gurjant Singh eked out a penalty corner for his side in a crowded Belgian circle. But just like it has been throughout the tournament, Harmanpreet Singh continued his woeful form in short corners, blasting the ball way wide of the goal. Moments later, another chance went begging as Nilakanta Sharma failed to trap the ball from another short corner.
But the manner in which the game was progressing, one could sense that the opening goal was not very far. And in the eighth minute, Gurjant Singh proved to be the hero once again.
Just like in the semifinal against Australia, the Amritsar boy this time pounced on a half-hearted clearance from the Belgian goalkeeper Loic van Doren to slot in the opener from an acute angle.
An early goal against a defensively sound side was just the start the Indians were hoping for. And once they got the break there was no looking back for the Harendra Singh-coached side.
“We’ll have to play a lot of diagonal balls if we’ve to break the Belgian defence,” Harendra had said on the eve of the final. And it looked like the boys took to their coaches words as Harmanpreet’s ball from the half line missed Pravinder Singh’s stick by a whisker.
That disappointment, however, didn’t last much longer as Simranjeet Singh doubled the Indian advantage in the 22nd minute.
It all started with a diminutive Nilakanta stealing the ball from the legs of Nicolas Poncelet. The Manipuri found Simranjeet on the edge of the circle, and the Surjeet Singh Academy trainee slapped the ball past van Doren to sound the board that saw the stadium erupt in celebration.
Though the Belgians too had their chances, Gregory Stockbroekx and Henri Raes rued their luck as the Europeans had to be content with a secondary role on the night.
When they did find the back of the net in the final minute through Fabrice van Bockrijck’s drag-flick, it didn’t matter much as they Indian colts achieved what they had set out to do three years back in Bengaluru. The ‘World Champions’ tag.
The win also meant that the Indian colts ended a 15-year-long hiatus to win the world title. A Gagan Ajit Singh-led side had last won the Junior World Cup — their maiden title — in 2001 at Hobart.
Though the scoreline suggests a closely-fought affair, the Indians actually outplayed their opponents in every department of the game. While their defence continued with the fine show, not allowing the Belgians any room to attack, the forwards also joined the party this time, scoring two brilliant goals and consistently maintain the pressure on the Belgians.
Egged on by the 17,000-odd crowd at the Major Dhyan Chand stadium, the Indians hit the ground running from the very first minute. While the Belgians tried their best to stop the Indian charge, nothing came to their rescue on a night that had Indian dominance written all over it.
India could have taken the lead in the third minute itself when Gurjant Singh eked out a penalty corner for his side in a crowded Belgian circle. But just like it has been throughout the tournament, Harmanpreet Singh continued his woeful form in short corners, blasting the ball way wide of the goal. Moments later, another chance went begging as Nilakanta Sharma failed to trap the ball from another short corner.
But the manner in which the game was progressing, one could sense that the opening goal was not very far. And in the eighth minute, Gurjant Singh proved to be the hero once again.
Just like in the semifinal against Australia, the Amritsar boy this time pounced on a half-hearted clearance from the Belgian goalkeeper Loic van Doren to slot in the opener from an acute angle.
An early goal against a defensively sound side was just the start the Indians were hoping for. And once they got the break there was no looking back for the Harendra Singh-coached side.
“We’ll have to play a lot of diagonal balls if we’ve to break the Belgian defence,” Harendra had said on the eve of the final. And it looked like the boys took to their coaches words as Harmanpreet’s ball from the half line missed Pravinder Singh’s stick by a whisker.
That disappointment, however, didn’t last much longer as Simranjeet Singh doubled the Indian advantage in the 22nd minute.
It all started with a diminutive Nilakanta stealing the ball from the legs of Nicolas Poncelet. The Manipuri found Simranjeet on the edge of the circle, and the Surjeet Singh Academy trainee slapped the ball past van Doren to sound the board that saw the stadium erupt in celebration.
Though the Belgians too had their chances, Gregory Stockbroekx and Henri Raes rued their luck as the Europeans had to be content with a secondary role on the night.
When they did find the back of the net in the final minute through Fabrice van Bockrijck’s drag-flick, it didn’t matter much as they Indian colts achieved what they had set out to do three years back in Bengaluru. The ‘World Champions’ tag.
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