INDIA HAS put up an impressive display in the ongoing Olympic qualifiers held at New Delhi. They thrashed Singapore and Italy in their previous outings, where the score read 15-1 and 8-1 respectively, reported Mail Online. Their real test lies today, as they are scheduled to face France later tonight. India is poised to play against Canada and Poland in the coming days, which also holds great significance in the context of the qualifiers.

 

India, playing on their home turf is considered a favourite to win the match. Still, the French team cannot be taken lightly. Indians would not be expecting to dominate the game the way they did against their previous opponents, but fans would not settle for less than a victory against French. The French team, who are known for their fighting approach, have already created an upset in the qualifiers by defeating Poland. So, who knows if they pull off another upset victory over India?

 

Indian players such as Sandeep Singh, S.V. Sunil, Tushar Khandekar, V.R. Raghunath, Ignace Tirkey have looked in great shape. They need to up their game so as to move ahead in the competition and progress into the finals, which is scheduled for Sunday. The Indian players’ skills with their hockey stick have been a constant threat for any opposition and French would be aware of that. Indians, who loves to attack and score goals must keep their eyes on the French forwards too, as in the excitement of playing upfront may expose gaps in their defence.

 

India has not been tested by any of the teams in the tournament, unlike France, who played a tough match against Poland. It might be a disadvantage to the Indian team. The Indian attacking line may be a confident bunch of players, but can we say the same about the defenders? They have not had much to do as of now. A victory for the Indian team would draw them closer to London 2012 Olympics.