India delivered one of its most impressive attacking displays of the tournament with a convincing 4-1 victory over Wales in the ongoing FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup Qualifiers at the G.M.C. Balayogi Stadium on Wednesday.
Having already secured qualification for the Women’s Hockey World Cup earlier in the competition, the Indian team played with freedom and confidence, thrilling a strong home crowd with a dominant performance. The victory sparked celebrations among players and fans alike as India continued its strong run in the tournament.
Despite the emphatic scoreline, head coach Sjoerd Marijne insisted there was still room for improvement, particularly in converting chances in front of goal.
“Am I happy? Yes and no. I told the girls that when you’re winning, everything looks perfect, but that was not the case. The only thing I could blame them (against Wales) for is that we didn’t score more goals. I’m happy that we created opportunities, but we really have to be more careful and precise with the ball,” he said after the match.
Marijne emphasised that raising the team’s standards remains a priority, even after a convincing victory.
“But that’s my job, to demand more and more. We want the benchmark to be higher and higher. If you see the attacks we had, how fast it went, that’s the way we want to play,” he added.
The standout performer of the match was Navneet Kaur, who scored a hat-trick to lead India’s attack. Marijne praised the forward’s quality and leadership, describing her as one of the world’s top players currently in her prime.
“She’s an absolute top player in the world, and she’s in her prime. She also takes a leadership role, which is very important. We’re very happy with her performance. Also, someone has to give the ball to her, and that is also very important,” the coach said, highlighting the importance of teamwork behind the goals.
Navneet herself admitted the team could have been even more clinical, despite the comfortable win.
“It was a nice match, but we could’ve scored more, especially field goals. We got a lot of chances,” she said, noting that the team was eager to bounce back strongly after its earlier draw with Scotland.
Reflecting on the progress of the current squad, Marijne also credited the developmental work done by Erik Wonink, particularly in nurturing young talent.
“Erik, who was involved for a long time in the junior programme, has eight of his girls in the squad now. They have benefited from the way they’ve been educated,” Marijne said.
With qualification secured and confidence growing, India will now aim to refine its finishing and build further momentum as the tournament progresses.
