BHUBANESWAR: It showed 4.41 minutes to go for the end of the third quarter on the digital scoreboard when South Africa threatened to take the game to India for the first time. A good pass had found Richard Pautz within handshaking distance of PR Sreejesh in the goal and the former was one on one as the defence switched off. But Pautz’s deflection was acrobatically tipped wide by the custodian.
The save came at a pivotal stage. India, leading 2-0 thanks to impressive work in the first 15 minutes, had taken their foot off the pedal. The Rainbow Nation, sensing an opening, pushed an extra man into midfield. After having their first shot on goal in the 24th minute, the visitors began to grow into the proceedings.
For anyone who has seen Indian hockey over the last two decades, these were ominous signs. Their usual modus operandi when the opposition gets on the front foot is to be willing participants at their own burial. And South Africa, World No 15 and coming into the tournament on the back of a severe financial crisis, genuinely sensed an opportunity to test their more illustrious opponents.
Were India, playing their first game of the World Cup in front of a near capacity crowd at the Kalinga Stadium on Wednesday, going to re-enact a scenario they have played so many times in the past? Or were they going to buck the trend and lay down an important marker before the pool-deciding game against Belgium on Sunday?
Thankfully, they bucked the trend. After regrouping and adjusting to the extra man South Africa had in midfield, they recalibrated their own structure and found answers to run out 5-0 winners.
Coach Harendra Singh blamed it on an old friend of Indian hockey — complacency — but complemented his group of players for identifying and rectifying the situation. “When they were 2-0 down, they changed their structure to have one extra midfielder and that’s when they began to put pressure on us,” he said during the post-match press conference. “It took our players three minutes to realise it but credit to them for responding to the situation.” He was also happy to begin the tournament with a clean sheet.
That, in itself, shouldn’t be a noteworthy accomplishment but considering this is the first time that India have shut out a team in the opening match since the 1994 World Cup (beat South Korea 2-0), this was an important performance by the defenders nonetheless.
The other thing that might have warmed the cockles of the locals who had begun queueing up even before the first match between Belgium and Canada was the manner in which India responded to the adversity.
Two minutes after Sreejesh produced that save for the cameras, Mandeep Singh, who opened the scoring after 10 minutes, bombed down the right wing, dodged a few onrushing defenders and set up India’s third. His cross after entering the semi-circle was smartly deflected home by Simranjeet Singh. With 10 seconds remaining in the third stanza, India again sounded the board to virtually kill the game before Simranjeet, adjudged Man of the Match, added the varnish on an impressive first outing one minute into the fourth quarter.
South Africa coach Hopkins reflected on that big missed chance in the third quarter. “If that had gone in, we could have put some real pressure on them,” he said. “If 2-0 had become 2-1, it could have changed the game. But that’s the difference at this level, they took their chances and we didn’t.”
For once, India did. Something which they should repeat against the Red Lions in four days if they have any designs on topping the group. Result: India 5 South Africa 0