India lose to Germany, crash out Olympic hockey semifinal race
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Erstwhile giants of the game, India on Friday slumped to a humiliating 2-5 defeat against defending champions Germany to crash out of the semi-final race in the men's hockey competition of the London Olympics here.
Facing a must-win situation following two straight defeats in their first two games, India put up a pathetic display and allowed the Germans to dictate terms almost right through the match.
The Indians were no match for their speedy rivals and their defence was split open at will by the Germans.
Young striker Florian Fuchs (7th minute, 16th, and 36th) scored a brilliant hat-trick for the Germans, while Oliver Korn (24th) and Christopher Wesley (34th) were the other goal-getters for the European giants.
For India, VR Raghunath (13th) and Tushar Kahndker (63rd) reduced the margin of defeat.
India are now out of the semi-final race after having tasted defeats in their first three matches. They lost to The Netherlands 2-3 and New Zealand 1-3 in their opening two fixtures.
The eight-time champions, who have returned to the Olympic fold after eight years, are lying sixth and last in Group B.
The Bharat Chetri-led team, coached by Australian Michael Nobbs, will now have to fight for minor placings.
India will now face Korea on Sunday before finishing off their group campaign against Belgium on August 7.
The Netherlands and Germany are leading the chart with three wins from as many games. Korea are placed second with three points from two games just ahead of New Zealand, who have garnered three points from three matches.
Captain Chetri says Indian team not learning from mistakes
Indian hockey captain Bharat Chetri says the team is not learning from its mistakes and it is becoming a serious problem after three straight defeats in the Olympic Games.
Dejected at the 2-5 defeat by reigning Olympic champions Germany today that left India at the bottom of the pool with no point from three outings, Chetri said errors were being repeated in one match after another.
"We are committing the same mistakes in every match," Chetri said.
"Errors have crept into our game. But instead of learning not to repeat them we just go on and make the same mistakes in the next game. It is not looking very nice," the captain said.
"This has become a serious problem, and it could cost us a lot more in the matches to come," he said.
Before today's match against Germany, India suffered a 2-3 defeat by The Netherlands and a 1-3 reversal against New Zealand.
Ranked No. 10 the world, India are back in the Olympic arena after eight years as the men's hockey team failed to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Coach Michael Nobbs said Germany today gave India a lesson in how to play attacking hockey.
"Germany deserved to win, but what they did today was give us a lesson in attacking hockey," Nobbs said, adding that Germany was one of the world's best teams in defense but today's display was entirely different.
"I did not expect such an attacking display of hockey by Germany, who are the premier defensive side in the world," he said.
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