Tag: germany

Germany Thrash India 5-0 in First Women’s Hockey Match

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World No.3 Germany side thrashed world No.9 Indian women’s hockey team 5-0 in the first match of the four-match series on Saturday.

Pia Maertens (10th minute, 14th), Lena Micheel (20th), Pauline Heinz (28th) and Lisa Altenburg (41th) found the back of the net for the hosts.

The Indian team got off to a great start early in the first quarter by earning a penalty corner only in the second minute. However, the German defensive line stepped up and saved India’s shot at the goal. Thereafter, the hosts upped their ante and put extensive pressure on the Indian defence.

They got into great positions and created multiple goal-scoring opportunities. Germany’s Forward Pia Maertens put the hosts in the lead with a goal in the 10th minute and then found the back of the net once again in the 14th minute. The teams went into the first quarter break with Germany leading at 2-0.

In the second quarter, the hosts continued to put pressure on the Indian defence line and earned a penalty corner in the 17th minute. The Indian side saved the penalty corner and counter-attacked immediately. India earned a penalty corner in the very next minute. However, the Germans stood tall and saved India’s shot at the goal once again.

The world No. 3 side rode on the momentum and took a 3-0 lead in the 20th minute when German forward Lena Micheel found an opening and converted it brilliantly. Eight minutes later, the hosts extended their lead to 4-0 after midfielder Pauline Heinz found the back of the net just before half-time.

The Indian team fought hard and tried to make inroads into the German half in the third quarter. However, the hosts fought back and earned a penalty corner in the 40th minute. The Indian defence line stood tall and found a way to ward off the Germans’ shot at the goal. However, the hosts continued to put pressure on India relentlessly and Germany took a 5-0 lead after forward Lisa Altenburg struck a goal in the 41st minute.

At the start of the final quarter, the Indian team showed fantastic character and put Germany on the back-foot straight away. They earned a penalty corner in the 47th and the 50th minutes. However, the German defence line stood tall and saved India’s strikes on their goal. The Indian team fought hard until the last minute, but the hosts ensured that they didn’t concede a goal and won the match 5-0.

The second match will be played on Sunday.



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Indian Team Excited to Play Germany: Men’s Hockey Captain PR Sreejesh

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The Indian men’s hockey team, ranked No.4 in the world, is ready to face world No.6 Germany in the first of the four-match tour of Europe beginning on Sunday, said an upbeat captain PR Sreejesh.

“The entire team is very excited and eager to get on with the first match. It’s been more than a year since we played a competitive match, and we are prepared for the challenge,” said Sreejesh, also the team’s goalkeeper.

“It’s been about five days since we arrived in Krefeld and the weather too has not been too cold. It was about 16-18 degrees when we practiced yesterday [Friday], and we are quite comfortable playing in this weather,” he said.

Sreejesh pointed out that the team was getting to play a competitive match after one year due to Covid-19.

India last played in the FIH Hockey Pro League held in January and February last year where the team took on the Netherlands, Belgium and Australia on home ground in Bhubaneswar.

“Not playing competitive matches in over a year has been very difficult, mostly mentally than physically. But the coaching staff ensured the sessions during the national camp were planned in such a way that it would excite us players and they tried to create an environment of competition in the group. Though we played a lot of matches internally over the past few months in SAI [Sports Authority of India], the next few weeks in Europe will show exactly where we are at in terms of performance,” Sreejesh said.

The captain emphasised that this tour would help the team set the parameters for preparation for this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

“These matches against Germany and Great Britain are super important for our preparations. It is an opportunity to test ourselves tactically, physically and mentally. We are very lucky to be able to play against quality teams, despite the ongoing pandemic. This outing will help us set the parameter and enable us to plan our months leading up to the Olympics,” he said.

In the context of playing Germany, Sreejesh said: “We have watched this team closely, analyzed their game and replicated how we must play against them during the past few weeks in camp. They play man-to-man and our style of play will be slightly tweaked in order to succeed against them. The whole idea is to implement what we have been doing in camp these past few months and the focus will be on ourselves.”

Sreejesh also spoke about the supposed challenges of playing in a bio-bubble.

“There are no challenges in this regard. We are very used to being in a bio-bubble and also understand very well that the pandemic is still not over, and that we need to be responsible. We have received very strict SOP for this tour, and we are following it to the T,” he said.



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India Men’s Hockey Team to Travel for 17-day Tour to Take on Germany and Britain

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A year after it last played an international match, the Indian men’s hockey team will travel to Europe for a 17-day tour to play two matches each against Germany and Britain.

The 22-member squad is scheduled to leave for Krefeld, Germany, from Bengaluru on February 21.

India will play host Germany in Krefeld on February 28 and March 2. They will then travel to Antwerp, Belgium where they are scheduled to play Britain on March 6 and March 8.

The Indian men’s team last participated in an international competition in February, 2020 when they took on Australia during the FIH Hockey Pro League matches in Bhubaneswar. As a result of good performances, the team had climbed to fourth in the FIH world rankings, India’s highest ranking till date.

Over the past few months, Hockey India has been studying the Covid-19 situation to work out a suitable training and competition schedule for the team as part of Olympic preparations.

The Tokyo Olympic Games were postponed from July 2020 to July 2021.

The team had, over the past year, mostly trained in a bio-secure environment in SAI, Bengaluru with pandemic disrupting travel and competition abroad.

Chief coach Graham Reid said, “We are very grateful for the opportunity to go to Europe, and we are looking forward to having our first competitive matches in just over 12 months. Playing against powerhouse teams like Germany and Britain will provide us with great competition and help immensely in our preparation for FIH Hockey Pro League and Olympic Games. Playing any top-10 ranked team is always a great experience for the team.”



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