Tokyo Olympics: 3 takeaways from India's 0-2 loss against Germany

The Indian girls put up a spirited show and missed a couple of golden chances en route to a 0-2 defeat at the hands of the Germans in their second group game at the Tokyo Olympics.

The Indians were circumspect to begin with, and the Germans looked spectacular as they engaged in prolonged bouts of clinical passes, while Sjoerd Marijne's chargers chased the ball in vain.

The Indian defense, however, did well to hold on and ward off several German forays before Nike Lorenz opened the scoring off a PC before the end of the first quarter.

The Indians then tried a series of solo runs with Sharmila doing much of the sprinting down the left flank, but the German midfield did not allow too many gaps for the supporting strikers to sneak in.

What transpired in the second half, however, was heartbreaking for Rani Rampal and co, especially after the skipper manufactured a penalty stroke that failed to find a way into the back of the net.

Are great expectations weighing the Indian teams down?

Time and again several Indian hockey teams have promised much in the lead up to the Olympic Games by getting the better of fancied sides before the competition but somehow end up faltering on the big stage.

With the Germans leading 0-1, Rani Rampal used her trademark slap shot - one that coach Sjoerd Marijne instructed the skipper to take at a crucial stage of the World Cup quarterfinals against Ireland as well.

Back then, the short corner wasn't converted as the ball wasn't pushed the right way, but at Tokyo Rani got the shot in which then brushed the hand of a German defender.

Rani seized the moment to ask the umpire for a penalty stroke which was awarded and up strode the redoubtable Gurjit Kaur, India's penalty stroke and penalty corner expert.

As Indian hockey fans waited with bated breath to see the scorecard read 1-1, goalkeeper Julia Sonntag moved the right way and may have got the faintest of touches but Gurjit's stroke hit the post.

How did an experienced veteran like Gurjit miss one from the spot in a crucial encounter at the Olympic Games?

As both teams sang the anthem, the German girls were all smiles while the Indian eves looked tense and keyed up ahead of the big game.

No wonder nerves were evident on the pitch as well, with the girls appearing to be weighed down by expectations that perhaps defy reality.

Asian teams have a long way to go to match the best

The Indians excelled in patches Image Ctsy: Hockey India

Although the Indian Eves have come a long way and are a vastly improved side from the one that finished last at Rio 2016, there is still some distance to cover so far as being on par with the best in the business is concerned.

The Indian men's team had a taste of the same against the Australians in their group match after going down 1-7 while the girls are ranked lot lower than the two sides they have been beaten by thus far in Tokyo.

Asian hockey powers China and Japan who are in Group B haven't been doing too well either. The Chinese went down to Australia 0-6 while Japan did put up a fight but won no points after losing 1-2 against New Zealand.

As Asia's top-ranked side, the Indians will perhaps get there before their continental rivals do, but until such time the reality that a huge gap exists between Asian teams and the best needs to be accepted.

Two tough encounters will prepare the girls to excel in the remaining matches

Given the draw, the fixtures, and the postponement of the Games, the Indians were well aware that the first two games would indeed be the toughest in the group phase.

Now that the Netherlands and Germany matches are done, the think tank can focus on the positives before the Indians take on sides that are significantly less formidable.

Taking on a couple of champion teams first up will undoubtedly steel up the girls to get the better of teams like Ireland and South Africa, while the Indians have consistently also done well against Great Britain.

It is now up to the support staff to convey to the girls that the worst is over and a quarterfinal place is still not out of reach, if only the team play their best hockey in all the remaining matches.