Hosts suffer heavy defeat
![A Bangladesh player (L) attempts to thwart an Indian attack during their second match of the three-match series at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan turf yesterday. The hosts lost the match 1-5. PHOTO: STAR](https://tds-images.thedailystar.net/upload/gallery/image/arts/idian-attack-hockey.jpg)
Visiting Indian hockey team handed a massive 5-1 defeat to hosts Bangladesh at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan yesterday to go 2-0 up in the three-match series.
Like the previous match, Bangladesh took the lead early in the first half before conceding five goals in succession, thanks to some erratic defending by the hosts.
The home side, who are playing the series as part of their preparation for September's World Hockey League and Asian Games, made a brisk start and went ahead in the eighth minute when Hasan Jubair Niloy, receiving a flick from Pushkor Khisha Momo, broke the deadlock with a simple tap in. But the lead lasted only three minutes as Harjeet Singh equalised with a reverse-hit before Yuvraj Walmiki put India ahead in the next minute.
India launched the attacks through the flanks with a lot of pace and power and unsettled the Bangladesh defenders. Gaps opened up between the three departments of the Bangladesh side and the midfield found it hard to bridge the gap between attack and defence.
India took advantage of the lack of communication in the Bangladesh team and scored three more field goals though SK Uthapa, Yusuf Affan and Devender Sunil, who was awarded the man of the match.
“We have yet to put up our best performance on the pitch and we must play better tomorrow (Saturday). There are still some areas for improvement and we must improve the way we want to play,” said India coach Khandoker Tusher after the match.
Tusher though praised some Bangladeshi players for their sense but he believes Bangladesh needs to work hard each and every day to get better.
“I don't think there are any limitations in the Bangladesh side but there are some areas (tactical) to be improved and it is a work in process because you can't change everything overnight,” said Tusher.
Bangladesh's Pakistani coach Naveed Alam was satisfied with the way Bangladesh played but was unhappy about the margin of defeat. “If you watched the first game, the score was alright but the tempo of the game was not right. Today (Friday) the tempo was alright but the margin was not” said Naveed.
“Today we used three new players including the goalkeeper. Their confidence level was not very high and it is not unexpected. Sometimes they lacked plan, which was to mark every player. Three goals were gifted and the boys were a little bit down once the opponents struck the fourth goal,” explained Naveed adding that they would try to do better in the third and final game which will be held today.
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