Penalty corner blunders, midfield muddle cost India as they go down to Ireland

Sundeep Misra

A lethargic India turned in a lackadaisical performance on Thursday, losing to the world’s 16th ranked team, Ireland, 0-1 in their Women's Hockey World Cup match. It was a match the Rani Rampal-led side should have comfortably won, given the experience and talent in their ranks. Forget rankings, circle entries, shots on goals, the simple fact is India didn’t show the requisite hunger to wrap it up. Ireland played full tilt, winning the mental battle on a day when the temperatures at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre touched 34 degrees. India showed tremendous promise in their 1-1 draw against Olympic champions England in their first match, and one expected the compact and solidity to go a notch higher against lower-ranked teams. But after the loss to the Irish, the display against England now seems an aberration.