The ‘RedSticks’ could not repeat the good results of the Pro League
MADRID, 13 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish men’s field hockey team started their participation in the World Cup in India on the wrong foot with a 2-0 defeat against the hosts, in a full Rourkela stadium that saw their team win against some misguided ‘RedSticks’ who did not they were able to react in no time.
Spain conceded the 1-0 in minute 12 and did not recover from it. The ‘RedSticks’ started better, with possession and going to look for the rival goal. But, soon, India took control and that goal touched the young Spanish team, which, trailing 2-0, due to bad luck in an own goal, in the second set, sank too much.
India is the country with the most men’s Olympic gold medals and was the one that dominated the first editions of the World Cup. Now, before his audience, he seeks to return to the World Cup medals and repeat the experience he had with the bronze in Tokyo 2020 -which ended a long drought of Olympic medals-.
Still, in the recent doubleheader between India and Spain in the FIH Hockey Pro League, the ‘RedSticks’ won (2-3) in October and drew (2-2) in November last year on Indian soil. Results that gave room for hope for this World Cup premiere, but the game was very different.
Max Caldas’ men could not take advantage of any of the three penalty-corners he had, nor could they score and worry the rival after Abhishek’s 10-minute suspension, which allowed the Spaniards to play superiority in the final stretch of the match (10 of the last 12 minutes of play).
And that, already with 2-0 on the scoreboard, the Spanish goalkeeper Adrián Rafi saved a penalty stroke on the same line, in an action that was more than reviewed on video. But he couldn’t give encouragement to the ‘RedSticks’, who enjoyed some counter-attack chances but didn’t finish them.
The best options to be able to score a goal and get into the game were two of those three penalty-corners that the team had, especially with a good shot from Pau Cunill as the best Spanish chance. But the Indian goal was more than well defended by Raveendran Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadur.
Spain, which is in Group D along with India, England and Wales, will have to improve and look for a redemptive victory against England and, above all, not be surprised by the weaker Wales in principle. And it is that three of each group pass. In the other duel of this first day, England took the British derby before the Welsh by a resounding 5-0.