Hockey World Cup 2023: India coach Graham Reid says back-to-back clean sheets an achievement

India could not beat England in a crucial hockey World Cup match but head coach Graham Reid on Sunday said having back-to-back clean sheets was an achievement for the team which was “leaking” goals recently.

India played out a goalless draw against England in their second Pool D match but still remained in the hunt for a direct quarterfinal qualification.

“We have been leaking goals since the Tokyo Olympics but now we have got back-to-back clean sheets, that is the positive from this match,” Reid said at the post-match press conference. “We conceded too many penalty corners but at the same time we defended them very well,” he added.

India conceded 25 goals while scoring 17 against Australia in a five-match series before the World Cup.

The hosts had also kept a clean sheet against Spain, winning 2-0 in their World Cup opener.

In-form midfielder Hardik Singh was injured in the final minutes of the final quarter against England as he went down clutching his right hamstring. He was later helped off the field.

Asked about it, Reid said, “It looked pretty bad when he came off but I have gotten an update and it is not as bad as we originally thought. We will have an update on that, we will see.”

India conceded eight penalty corners and earned four. But the Indians defended the PCs very well.

“At this level, when you are playing fast-paced hockey, it happens. It is always a concern if you concede that many penalty corners. We are going to try and make amends.”

“We have to try and do better inside the opposition circle. But I am very pleased with the commitment of the players. It was a high-skilled hockey played by both the teams, it was a telling match and both came off exhausted.”

Asked about India conceding many penalty corners but at the same time defending them very well, he said, “England and Netherlands are very similar and they attacked very quickly and they would push a lot of people forward and they create opportunities.

“But we defended very well. I think our keeper did not touch the ball from the penalty corners.”

India play their final Pool D match against Wales at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

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