Focus is to improve in every game says Indian Women’s Hockey Coach

While the first game was won by Germany 2-1, the second match was won by India 3-0.

When asked about the two legged tie and India's performance, Indian Women’s Hockey team Coach Janneke Schopman said on Saturday, the team did not perform well in the first game. However, in the second game the team performed incredibly well. 

Coach Janneke Schopman while praising the performance of the team said that the team is trying to improve with every single game.

She said in an interview after the game, "Our focus is to improve and do better in every game, which I think we are doing.

"In Saturday’s game, we didn’t start well, but in the next game, we started well. However, in the second game, we got a little bit on the back foot after losing the video referral and then the PC that went in because a player got sent out.

"I just reminded the players at halftime that we are actually in the game and you just have to keep working hard, keep to our game plan and win the balls.

"I think we created enough opportunities. The only thing to say is that we should win in regulation time and not in shootouts."

The second leg witnessed three brilliant shootouts by Salima Tete, Sangita Kumari, and Sonika, while goalkeeper Savita prevented all 3 shootout attempts by Germany. When asked about three brilliant saves, goalkeeper Savita said, "Shootout is a situation of pressure.

"After so many years, it was our first shootout on Saturday, so our players and I made a few mistakes. But, we worked on those errors and thought that we just have to implement what we do in the training if the match heads to the shootouts.

"So, we worked on our mistakes from the Saturday game and implemented the learnings in Sunday’s game. We have very skillful players in our team and they all were able to score easily."

When asked about the performance of the debutants, the coach said that she wants the debutants not to be pressured and to learn at their own pace.

She said that it's okay for them to make mistakes in the beginning as long as they learn from their mistakes and keep growing. After winning 12 points from 6 matches, India stands at second position in the FIH Pro League 2021-22.

India will now play a double-header against England at the Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneswar on April 2.