Hosts China, backed by a vociferous home crowd here, thwarted every Indian attempt of a comeback and won 4-0 win, which now leaves Savita Punia’s team to fight for bronze.
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China’s dominance and structure in defence highlighted in the statistic that it took India 40 minutes to earn their first penalty corner, as the hosts worked their channels, blocked the midfield and took fluidity out of Indian attacks in the first two quarters.
India came out better prepared in the second half but couldn’t get on the goal sheet despite threatening the Chinese post.
The result has not just left the Indian team devastated but has also upset Hockey India officials who are also in China.
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“Definitely the coach will be asked to explain,” said HI secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, talking to TimesofIndia.com in Hangzhou.
“We have provided everything the team asked for, but such one-sided defeat is not acceptable. What was the coach doing?” said Bhola Nath.
India earned three penalty corners in the third quarter, but could not convert any of those.
“I don’t want to speculate. I want to discuss with the players first,” said Schopman while talking to reporters in the mixed zone after the match.
In her immediate response to why none of the alternate plans worked, Schopman said she is “not sure” and won’t share her analysis of the game publicly with a match left to play.
“I am not sure I have the answer as to why that performance happened today. I have my thoughts about it, but I won’t share it with the press yet out of respect for my players,” the coach said.
Incidentally, former India captain Rani Rampal recently pointed fingers at Schopman after her ouster from the national core probables, as she felt she was fit and in form but still ignored.
“The coach should be asked why I am out of the team,” Rani had said at a press conference on the sidelines of the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai earlier this year.
India are No. 7 on the FIH rankings for women, which is the highest for the country to date. China are ranked 12th.
Schopman took over as India’s chief coach after Sjoerd Marijne left at the end of Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
In the other semifinal, South Korea beat defending champions Japan in a shootout (4-3) after the regulation 60 minutes ended 2-2.
Japan became champions in 2018 beating India in the final.
India’s only women’s hockey gold in the Asian Games came in 1982 when the event was first introduced for women.