That's it from us here - this is Subhashish signing off - do join us tomorrow when Japan play Pakistan at 2025 IST and then also at 2040 IST when India play South Korea
THE MALAYSIANS WERE DOGGED IN DEFENCE (ANY SURPRISE, CONSIDERING WHO THE NEW COACH IS??) - JALIL FAIZ, IN PARTICULAR, DEFENDED TENACIOUSLY - OLTMANS STRESSED THAT SITTING BACK IN THEIR OWN TERRITORY WAS NOT THE INTENTION - BUT MALAYSIA DID THAT PRETTY WELL, IRRESPECTIVE. THE INDIANS HAD THEIR CHANCES BUT TRIED TO FORCE THE PACE QUITE OFTEN - AND HARENDRA'S UNIT TODAY, DID NOT RESEMBLE THE WELL-OILED MACHINE WHICH BEAT OMAN, PAKISTAN, AND JAPAN. THERE ARE CHINKS IN THE INDIAN ARMOR AHEAD OF THE WORLD CUP WHICH THEY WILL NEED TO AMEND URGENTLY
THE STATS LADIES AND GENTS - THE INDIANS ENJOYED 60% OF THE POSSESSION, ENTERED THE MALAYSIAN CIRCLE 22 TIMES, AND HAD 6 CRACKS ON GOAL - MALAYSIA ENTERED THE INDIAN CIRCLE JUST 7 TIMES AND MANAGED A SOLO CRACK GOALWARDS - MALAYSIA FAILED TO EARN A SINGLE PC - THE INDIANS EARNED THREE - FAILED TO MAKE THEM COUNT
THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MATCH OF THE TOURNAMENT (OR THE POOL STAGES ANYWAY) - IT TURNS OUT TO BE AN ABSOLUTE ANTICLIMAX - A RATHER SCRAPPY AFFAIR FOR THE MOST PART - EXCEPT FOR THE FIRST QUARTER WHEN THE INDIANS LOOKED FLUENT AS EVER - POST THAT, HARENDRA'S BOYS LOOKED EDGY - WAS IT SIMPLY BECAUSE OF WHAT TRANSPIRED AT JAKARTA?? WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS THE CASE, THE INDIANS HAVE FAILED TO SORT OUT MALAYSIA - WHICH IS WORRYING
Both sides attacking predominantly from the right - the Malaysians unimaginative as ever - the Indians getting a bit further - but not being creative enough at the goalmouth
Four shots on goal, none for Malaysia - 13 circle entries for India and 4 for Malaysia - the Indians had a whopping 66% of the possession - no goals though
The level of hockey has not been particularly high - nor has it been as pleasing to the eye as one might have expected from the top two sides at Muscat- but all that may soon change
For all the possession they have enjoyed, and all the chances they have created, the Indians have been unable to find the back of the net. The Indians looked fluent in the first quarter - not so much in the second - both teams unable to find their rhythm thus far - the Indians look a bit edgy - will all that change in the second half??
THE INDIANS HAVE BEEN DOMINANT BUT OFF-TARGET THUS FAR - THE MALAYSIANS HAVE YET TO GET GOING - FOUR SHOTS ON GOAL - 10 CIRCLE ENTRIES - 65% OF THE POSSESSION FOR HARENDRA'S BOYS!!!
