Playing Salima through middle and not from right flank in first quarter and contusing with Deepika in place of Udita in Plenty corner where India loses by 1-0 to Japan and unable to qualify Paris Olympics
Unfortunately for Savita Punia & Company, it would not be them. The only one who will be there in the French capital come July will be former men’s team goalkeeper and Sydney Olympian Jude Menezes, as coach of Japan Menezes’s side dished out a defensive masterclass to protect their one-goal lead for 54 minutes of games as Japan broken India’s Olympic qualifying hopes. The team that finished fourth in Tokyo Olympics will not be able to qualify Paris Olympics.
It was also the way to throw India off their preferred style. In the two matches India won in the Olympic Qualifying tournament, both in the group stage against New Zealand and Italy. They were quick off the blocks, attacking from the get-go and scoring in the first minute itself.
It is easy to judge even with eyes closed when India is chasing a game while playing at home, it’s when the sound of the ball hitting the stick echoes inside stadium.
Salima switch
That changed with one minor contexts in the second half, Schepman knowing her future in India depended on these 30 minutes of games. Her pace forced Japan to penetrate deep into their half, which opened up the midfield for India. The result of that was an all-out attack for the remainder of the match. India, who earned only two penalty corners in the first half, went on to win seven in the next two half. but they could not convert any into goal.
The team continue with Deepika, the youngster who is the drag-flicker, while not giving Udita, who has actually been on a hot scoring rampage with her slap-shots in Plenty corners many opportunities to test the goalkeeper.
India had 11 shots on goal and have 58 percent possession. But they could not be able to destroy the Japanese barrier. “If we would have played attacking from the first moment, the result might have been different,” Savita said “I have no words. our team deserved to be in the Olympics. But Japan also deserved it.”