VERY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY

India put up efficient show against Spain to begin FIH World Cup campaign with emphatic 2-0 win, coach Graham Reid and players delighted with performance, local boy Rohidas and Hardik among goalscorers

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN

AS far as opening nights go, this was the perfect execution of plans coming to fruition. Couple of good goals? Check. An impudent piece of skill that will end up on various social media channels with jarring background music. Check. A complete team performance? Check. Clean sheet (India haven’t had many of those in recent times)? Check. A sold out crowd experiencing highend sport for the first time ever and going back home with smiles plastered on their faces. Check. The final scoreline was close by the sport’s standards — 2-0 — but it was over as a contest long before the final hooter cut through the air. The performance was a masterclass in efficiency, taking opportunities and never relinquishing control after an iffy first couple of minutes.

By the time coach Graham Reid and captain Harmanpreet Singh were done with their post-match press obligations, both of them had big smiles on their faces. They were even in the mood to joke with the media. Harmanpreet was in such a relaxed state of mind he even mocked himself for missing a penalty stroke.

What pleased Reid the most was the defensive aspect of India’s showing. “This is probably our best defensive effort since Tokyo,” he said after the game. “We had good energy, tone and work-rate and those are three very important objectives for us.”