KNOW COL BALBIR SINGH

INDIA VS HOLLAND

On paper, the Dutch are ahead of us. But in tournaments like World Cup and Olympics, ranking or previous records hardly matters. We are the top-ranked team in Asia but we finished third in the Asian Games. There, too, the team consistency was to be blamed.

So in the quarter-finals on Thursday, we have to forget past performances and ranking, and have to start afresh. The way Indian and Netherlands have played in the World Cup, both are equally placed. If India committed a couple of mistakes against Belgium in first half and were Bronze in 1968 Olympics

Arjuna Award in 1968

Gold in Asian Games 1966 National Selector for 10 years, last tenure from 2009 to 2013 Coach: India men’s in 1982 Asian Games, Champions Trophy and World Cup; India women’s in 1995-98 under pressure during that period, Holland committed the same mistake in the last quarter against Germany, conceding three goals.

Experience and match maturity will play a vital role and both coaches must have cautioned their respective teams not to repeat that mistake if they want to play the semi-finals.

India can count on home advantage and crowd support, provided they don’t play under pressure or concede early goals. Because, then, the stadium turns into a silence zone.

Holland play an open game on the sidelines and endlines, so they