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Junior Hockey World Cup | This team hasn't lost its structure in two-and-a-half years: Roelant Oltmans

Team manager and senior team chief coach Roelant Oltmans looked a satisfied man. "The team is on the right track. Look at their speed or for that matter, their composure under testing moments. This simply shows our overall progress is in right direction," the Dutchman summed it up.

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Captain of Indian senior team PR Sreejesh celebrates with junior players Friday
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When the final hooter was sounded here at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium on Thursday India senior team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh rushed to his junior teammate Vikas Dahiya.

"You need to make sure that you don't dive for the entire eight-second duration (allotted to execute the penalty stroke). Be on your feet whatever be the outcome," was the 'guru mantra' that came from a star, who tried this tested formula during the finals of the Asian Games to beat Pakistan for gold medal.

"In the shoot-out, we are expected to finish the stipulated eight seconds as soon as possible. A goalkeeper is expected not to commit too much and fall down. We are expected to stand those eight seconds because it puts pressure on the strikers," Dahiya shared his conversation with Sreejesh after India defeated Australia 4-2 (6-4 in aggregate) on Friday.

With scoreboard showing 2-2, Australians were already beaten in speed on the field. And now it was only a matter of keeping nerves in a packed stadium to overcome a bunch of players who had probably not seen this kind of atmosphere in their short exposure.

For most part of the 70 minutes, India played right into Australian half. There was a time when Indian colts were ready to overcome yet another Europeans hurdle for the second day in succession, after beating Spain a day earlier.

"I prepared the team mentally as well as physically because you always say that we tend to lose in the dying moments. Now, nobody should even try and discuss these things any more. The victory goes to everyone but the coming December 18 match is biggest game for these boys," said coach Harendra Singh.

Team manager and senior team chief coach Roelant Oltmans looked a satisfied man. "The team is on the right track. Look at their speed or for that matter, their composure under testing moments. This simply shows our overall progress is in right direction," the Dutchman summed it up.

"We changed the structure a little bit at half-time. We tried to intercept the ball early and tried to put pressure on their defence and result is there for everyone to see," added Oltmans.

Beating Australia has never been easy for anyone around the globe. But this junior team has defeated Burras four out of five last meetings.

"All the players showed their eagerness to win the match. We never lost structure throughout 70 minutes. In fact, this team has never lose structure in the last two-and-half years," added Oltmans.

Harendra, on the other hand, has fond memories of this Lucknow field. "I have never returned empty-handed from this ground. The day it was announced that Lucknow will host the World Cup I told the boys that you will win a medal but you have to decided which colour it will be," he kept his fingers crossed.

Australian coach Ben Bishop, on the other hand, did concede that Indians defeated them during the mid-game by keeping the ball possession.

"Yes, the momentum did swing up and down. We started off really well and had the momentum early. But we probably led India have too much ball possession and control through middle part of the match," was how he described the outcome.

He praised India for playing attacking hockey. "India is playing the way it has for decades. Just like us they like to play attacking hockey," said the coach.

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