Mumbai: Near the centre of the pitch, Jorrit Croon stretched out to intercept a loose pass, five minutes from the final hooter. Then he charged forward, shrugging off the challenge of experienced India defender Amit Rohidas. A quick look to his left and he sent a measured low cross to an unmarked Thijs van Dam.
India held on to most of the possession – 61.6 percent to Netherlands’ 38.4. India had more circle entries (20 to 16) and more penalty corners (7 to 4). But it was the Dutch who were better organized and made the most of those small moments that came their way to score. So disciplined and patient were the Dutch in defence that they did not concede a penalty corner in the first two quarters.
That finish wrapped up co-hosts Netherlands’ 3-1 win over India in the Hockey World Cup second group stage fixture on Saturday. “But for the entire 60 minutes, we have to stay focused and consistent. The first touch got the ball into the circle. The second – with a hint of showboating – was a little dink over the onrushing Indian goalkeeper HS Mohith. And then came the finish into an open goal. And the final goal served perhaps as that one moment of play best summarising the well-attended match at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen. With the individual battles aced, the Dutch started to make their moves into the opposition half. In the 41st minute, they found the breakthrough when Tijmen Reyenga’s attempted shot was mishit, but fell kindly to Duco Telgenkamp, who deflected it past Suraj Karkera (in goal at the time). On the break once again in the 51st minute, De Vilder lofted a pass forward to Koen Bijen, who controlled expertly before sending a driven pass into the shooting circle. Tjep Hoedemakers was the first to react, and with the ball at least a foot in the air, he cleverly deflected into the India goal to double the lead. Harmanpreet managed to pull one back and give India some hope with his sixth goal of the tournament in the 52nd minute – a powerful drag-flick placed hard and low, well away from a diving Meijer. “The first three quarters, we played well. In the last quarter we made the same mistakes, and (Netherlands) picked up and scored from those mistakes.”
We managed to hold the ball and defensively we did well,” a dejected Harmanpreet told FIH after the match.
