Clean sheet key to boosting India’s confidence, says coach Harendra after 4-0 win over Malaysia

Rajgir (Bihar), Nov 11 The Indian women’s hockey team kicked off their campaign in the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024 with a dominant 4-0 victory over Malaysia. The win, highlighted by goals from Sangita Kumari (8’, 55’), Preeti Dubey (43’), and Udita (44’), saw the Indian side get off to a solid start in the tournament.

Despite a promising attacking display, the Indian head coach Harendra Singh highlighted the team’s defensive resilience and believes keeping a clean sheet will build their confidence for the upcoming games.

“I want to congratulate my team for winning the match by four goals and keeping a clean sheet. Winning league matches without conceding a goal is important as it boosts the team's confidence. Malaysia also had a solid defensive structure,” Harendra told IANS.

India must secure a top-four finish among the six teams to advance to the semifinals on November 19. The winners will then progress to the final, scheduled for November 20.

This tournament is the first Asian competition for the Indian women’s team under chief coach Harendra Singh and he went on to emphasise the team’s approach of taking it a game at a time ahead of their upcoming fixtures.

“We are preparing match by match. Our next game is against Korea, followed by a match with China. We need to focus on each match to avoid any mistakes. China is a strong team, but we are prepared,” he added.

Indian captain Salima Tete reflected on the team’s victory and acknowledged the significance of the tournament being played at the Rajgir Sports Complex as it is the first-ever international hockey tournament being played in Bihar.

"We didn't play as well in the beginning, especially in the first and second quarters. However, in the third and fourth periods, we showed great improvement. Our team played attacking hockey, and we will continue this approach in our upcoming matches.

When asked about her roots in Jharkhand, Salima responded, "I am from Jharkhand, but I am currently the captain of the Indian team. For us, India matters. Players come from both Bihar and Jharkhand, and I hope that in the future, we will see more players emerging from Bihar at the national level,” Salima told IANS.