India wary of upbeat Canada
Having beaten India in HWL Semi-finals, Canada will rely on their penalty corner unit
BHUBANESWAR: Only two players were seen in India’s final training session ahead of their World Cup clash against Canada. India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and reserve Krishan Pathak spent more than an hour with former India goalkeeper and current coach Bharat Chettri on the practice pitch of the Kalinga Stadium.
Understandably, Sreejesh had turned down requests to talk to the media.
He had just returned from his home a few hours ago where his father was batting for life and he made a to-and-fro two-day trip from Kochi to attend to his father who underwent a heart surgery recently.
RESOLUTE SREEJESH
But on the eve of their final Pool C clash, the goalkeeper looked resolute. From the stands it could be made out that he was practising most on his reflexes, asking Chettri to make him reach wide.
His intensity showed that he wants to make a point despite the personal stress. “His mood is as normal as it was earlier. It is part and parcel of life. We allowed him to go for a day. His father is alright. He is still in the hospital but not in the ICU. He is out of danger,” said India chief coach Harendra Singh on Friday.
Sreejesh will be key against Canada, who defeated India the last time the two teams met in the Hockey World League (HWL) Semi-finals in London last year. Though ranked six rungs below India at No 11, Canada have a history of being troublemakers. They have often upset top teams and that is exactly what they would aim to do come Saturday.
DIRECT QUALIFICATION
The Manpreet Singh-led side need to win to ensure a direct entry into the quarter-finals as world No 3 Belgium will also be vying for the same when they take on South Africa ahead of India’s clash.
However, the advantage the hosts have is that they have a better goal advantage and are playing the last Pool C game.
CHINA THROUGH
Even after conceding 11 goals to Australia in the first match on Friday, debutants China made it to the ‘crossover knockout’ thanks to England who beat Ireland 4-2 to show their neighbours the door, thus paving the way for China to enter the knockouts.
Australia, with nine points, topped Pool B and entered the quarter-finals directly. England, with four points, and China, with three, made it to ‘crossover knockout’.