BHUBANESWAR: This match was in the post the moment France beat India on the opening night of the junior World Cup. On course to face Malaysia, the India colts, shorn of match practice, tripped and fell against the European upstarts. So, as Belgium coach Jeroen Baart says, this ‘is a final’.
It was the final match of 2016 but while the teams and a majority of support staff (Baart is one of the few survivors of that final) have moved on, the match itself is likely to be decided on similar lines. While India’s play has become more structured, the coaches that have come after, including Graham Reid, have tried to retain their natural pace and front-foot aggression.
Belgium, like most elite European sides, have this natural ability to keep the ball and pick the right moments to attack. Both coaches focused on this area during the pre-match conference on Tuesday. “India will have that speed, vertical play... we focus more on control,” Baart said. “For us, it’s all about structure, show intensity at the right moment and survive the waves of attacks from India.
“India will fly from the off, we will try to mix it up, don’t make it predictable. We will see how to use these weapons at the right time.” From an Indian perspective, that’s a challenge in itself because Belgium’s ‘DNA’, as Reid calls it, is part of their hockey fabric, distilled through the age-group sides. It’s a challenge because part of that DNA is remaining patient, keeping hold of the ball, preventing Indian attacks from entering the striking circle and ‘maintaining discipline’, according to Baart.
They have used these ‘weapons’ to a big effect in previous high profile matches against India. The hosts, for their part, will take heart from the visitors’ less than convincing 1-1 draw against Malaysia. Reid, in fact, mentioned that the game showed them that they were vulnerable. “You saw some vulnerability,” he said. The 60 minutes itself could be decided by who has more penalty corner opportunities and who keeps the ball in tight spaces in midfield.
“It’s an area that could influence the game tomorrow (Wednesday),” Reid opined. While Vivek Sagar Prasad & Co. are good dribbling down the right hand side before cutting in, creating short corner opportunities have been a highly profitable route for them. Thirteen (12 penalty corners and one stroke) of the 25 goals they have scored have come from dead ball situations and that ability to play attacking, frontfoot hockey is vital for creating those opportunities. If Baart’s charges can contain those waves, they have a chance. If the hosts are able to fashion chances by playing that brand of high-energy hockey whilst maintaining structure at the back, Reid’s boys will believe.
RESULTS
9TH-16TH PLACE
South Africa 7-3 Canada, Pakistan 18-2 US, Poland 2-1 Chile, South Korea 3-3 Egypt (Korea won 6-5 in shootout).
WEDNESDAY’S MATCHES
(all quarterfinals) 10.30 AM Germany vs Spain, 1.30 PM Netherlands vs Argentina, 4.30 PM France vs Malaysia, 7.30 PM Belgium vs India.