Monchengladbach: Bruised and battered with two defeats on the trot, India's misery in the hockey World Cup was compounded on Saturday after being held to a 1-1 draw by underdogs South Africa in a pool B encounter.
The Indians, who desperately needed a big win to stay in contention for a semi-final berth, failed to rise to the occasion with another dismal performance which has now shattered all hopes of a podium finish.
Dilip Tirkey and his men again squandered a 1-0 lead through Ignace Tirkey (13th minute) by allowing their unfancied opponents to score the equaliser through Ian Symons seven minutes before the hooter at the Warsteiner Hockey Park.
With two more league matches against strong contenders the Netherlands and South Korea, India seem headed for a bottom placed finish unless they pulled off a remarkable turnaround of fortunes.
Despite coach Vasudevan Bhaskaran's promise of a better showing, the Indians were a pale shadow of themselves and the failure to earn full points could well mean that the team could struggle to improve upon their 10th finish at the last edition.
With two defeats behind them, the Indians were looking to record their first victory in pool B, but in their anxiety, nearly made a hash of the game that they were expected to win comfortably.
South Africa, who had lost 2-0 to the Nethelrands, in fact, with a little luck, could even have pulled off an improbable win when Thompton McDade unleashed a shot that goalkeeper Adrian D'Souza managed to save with three minutes on the clock.
Facing opponents ranked four spots below them at No10, the Indians had the best of opportunities to pick up three points and they looked to be on their way when Ignace Tirkey, left unmarked at the top of the circle drove home following a right-wing move involving Rajpal Singh, Gagan Ajit Singh and Tushar Khandkar.
The Indian moves lacked punch to drill holes in the South African defence that at best looked adequate. India could create only a few opportunities all of which were wasted with Rajpal Singh having the clearest look at the South African goal seconds into the second-half.
The forward could only manage a weak hit straight to goalkeeper who easily parried the attempt.
India dominated most of the game but it did not reflect in the number of circle penetrations and, in the event, they received just one penalty corner in the 48th minute. Debutant full-back Ramachandra Raghunath failed to convert with his
drag-flick.
There was little else in the match that had nothing to offer by way of aesthetics or class. If the South Africans did not have it in them to really trouble their opponents, while the Indian performance level kept dipping as the encounter progressed.
The reshuffled forward line was starved of passes for much of the game and on the few occasions the Indians did make a move to the South African goal, it was marked by uncertainty than confidence.
Consequently, the South Africans celebrated as though they had won the match rather than drawn while the Indian body language spoke for their dejection.
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