Two-time champions India will look to make a profitable begin towards Asian rivals Korea of their pursuit of one other podium end within the FIH males’s Junior World Cup hockey event beginning right here on December 5.
India have received the event twice, in 2001 in Hobart and 2016 in Lucknow, apart from ending runners-up as soon as in Milton Keyes, England in 1997.
In the final version of the occasion in Bhubaneswar two years again, the Indians completed fourth and they might be hoping to clinch their fourth podium on the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil right here.
India are positioned in a comparatively straightforward Pool comprising Canada and Spain apart from Korea.
After Korea, India will play Spain on Thursday and Canada on Saturday.
Pool A consists of defending champions Argentina, Australia, Chile, and Malaysia, whereas Pool B has Egypt, France, Germany and South Africa. Pool D is the hardest of the lot as Belgium, Netherlands, New Zealand and Pakistan might be vying for a quarterfinal berth.
The high two groups from every pool will qualify for the quarterfinals.
The quarterfinals, semifinals and last are scheduled for December 12, 14 and 16 respectively.
Under ahead Uttam Singh’s captaincy, the Indians can be brimming with confidence as they’ve a greater head-to-head report towards Korea. Out of the six matches performed between the 2 groups, India have received three, Korea two and one match resulted in a draw.
The final time each the groups confronted one another was throughout the semifinal of the boys’s Junior Asia Cup earlier this 12 months, the place India registered an enormous 9-1 win over Korea.
India skipper Uttam too sounded assured forward of their marketing campaign opener.
« The wait is finally over for the World Cup, and we are very much confident of a good start. We recently played against Korea, so we are aware of the challenge but the focus will be on us, on executing our plans and playing good hockey, » he stated.
Uttam has the expertise of the large stage as he was a part of the Indian group that completed fourth within the final version of the event in Bhubaneswar.
« As always, our focus has been to go match by match, and our priority is to get a winning start and then focus on the following matches to proceed to the next stage of the tournament, » he stated.
India coach C R Kumar stated they’re totally ready however will not take issues as a right.
« The players have worked hard, and are fully prepared for the tournament. Korea are a quality side, you can’t take them lightly.
« We should respect each opponent, it’s a greater stage, so we should be cautious and again our strengths to get a very good begin within the event, » he stated.
Content Source: www.thehindu.com