Notwithstanding the 0-2 loss to South Korea on Thursday, India still have a good chance to qualify for the semi-finals from Group B which has been thrown wide open by the subsequent drawn encounters in the remaining third round pool ties. Hosts and favourites Australia were held 2-2 by 1996 silver medallists Spain while Argentina and Poland drew 5-5 in another Pool B match to improve India's qualifying hopes provided they do well in their last two matches against Spain (September 23) and Poland (September 25).
The goal-getters for the speedy and fit Koreans seven minutes on either side of the interval against India were Song Seung-Tae and Kang Keon-Wook which left India with four points in three matches while boosting the Koreans to the joint top position with Australia on 5 points. But the Koreans have the more difficult task on hand, of beating fancied Australia, while the Indians have to be wary of the skillful Spain, who seem to have found their touch at last after the 1-4 shock defeat to Poland, in their next encounter.
“We missed and they scored. Both their goals were great, Indian coach Vasudevan Baskaran said after the match against South Korea.
Admitting that one small mistake in each half undid the Indian team, Baskaran, however, sounded optimistic about India's chances of entering the last four for the first time since the 1980 Games at Moscow where he was the captain.
Bureau Report