FIH Pro League: Captain Harmanpreet Emphasizes Consistency Ahead of Matches Against Ireland

Bhubaneswar, Feb 20 (NationPress) The Indian men's hockey team is setting its sights on achieving consistency as they gear up to compete against Ireland in their upcoming matches in the FIH Pro League 2024-25. Captain Harmanpreet emphasized the importance of every match, aiming to maintain the momentum from their latest victory.

After a challenging start to the tournament, India is keen to gain momentum and improve their position on the points table with strong performances in the forthcoming matches. They kicked off the tournament with a disappointing 3-1 defeat against Spain but rebounded impressively with a 2-0 win against the same team in their second encounter.

However, their quest for consistent victories hit a snag when they were convincingly defeated 4-1 by Germany in their third match. India managed to bounce back in their fourth game, securing a narrow 1-0 win over Germany, thanks to the return of captain Harmanpreet and vice-captain Hardik Singh, both of whom were sidelined in the first leg against Germany due to injuries.

Currently sitting in seventh place in the standings with six points from four matches, India is determined to rectify their penalty corner conversion issues, which have been a recurring challenge throughout the tournament. Despite achieving 14 penalty corners over their four games, the Indian team has yet to successfully convert any of these chances into goals.

As they prepare for the matches against Ireland, Captain Harmanpreet Singh remarked, “These upcoming games are crucial for us as we strive to establish consistency and build momentum in the FIH Pro League. Every match presents an opportunity to enhance our performance and earn vital points, and we recognize that Ireland will pose a tough challenge. Although they are currently lower in the standings, they are a resilient team that can surprise any opponent, so we must not underestimate them.”

“Our primary focus will be on improving our penalty corner conversions, which have been a struggle. We have been generating opportunities, but we need to execute them with more precision.

“The team has been diligently working in training to tackle these challenges, and we are optimistic about making progress in the next matches. We are prepared to give our best and hope to carry the momentum from our previous win as we aim to keep improving in the league,” he added.

Conversely, Ireland has faced difficulties in the tournament thus far, currently sitting at the bottom of the points table with only one point from four matches. They have suffered three losses in regulation time and one defeat in a shootout, fueling their desire to turn their fortunes around.

Historically, India has enjoyed an advantage in this matchup, having won seven out of nine meetings between the two teams since 2013. Ireland has recorded just one victory, with one match resulting in a draw.

India is scheduled to face Ireland on February 21 and 22. With India's focus on achieving consistency and Ireland eager for their first win, the upcoming matches are set to be pivotal for both teams.