"It is a setback to not have Amit on the pitch" - Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh on Amit's suspension for semi-final clash vs Germany
Harmanpreet Singh - Indian Men's Hockey Team captain has opened up about the upcoming semi-final clash with Germany at the Paris Olympics 2024. India secured a historic win over Great Britain in the quarterfinals and will now play the semifinal game against Germany on Tuesday, August 6.
Skipper Harmanpreet expressed his views regarding the same in an interview with IANS.
"We wanted to play Germany in the final. At least, that was what we had discussed amongst ourselves during team meetings ahead of the Olympic Games. They are a challenging opponent and when we play against them, the match usually goes down till the last second," said Harmanpreet Singh in the interview with IANS
During the quarterfinal against Great Britain, India received a major blow as their number 1 defender and penalty rusher Amit Rohidas was suspended.
"Now, these things are not in our control. While it is a set to not have Amit on the pitch for the Semis, we are focused on the task at hand. On Sunday, what stood out in our performance was the team's ability to take on the added responsibility of a key position that Amit played. Every player stepped up and even until the last minute, we were fighting back" said Harmanpreet Singh in the interview.
India vs Germany - Harmanpreet Singh and Squad on a Mission
Harmanpreet Singh and his boys will now eye to defeat Germany in the semis and reach the final match for the Gold. India and Germany will collide at the big stage of the Paris Olympics 2024 on Tuesday.
In the last 5 previous fixtures between the two teams, India has come out as the winners in 4 meetings and Germany has won a single game. The recent performance of team India has given them the required confidence to face Germany in the semis.
When it comes to the Olympics, the two teams have collided 12 times and India again carries a slight edge with 5 wins. Germany stands at 4 and three of their meetings have ended in a draw.
At the Champions Trophy, India and Germany have met a total of 16 times, where Germany has an upper hand with 9 wins compared to India's four. Three fixtures between the two teams have ended in a draw.
Overall, India and Germany have met 106 times in the past and India has come out winners on 26 occasions as compared to Germany which has won 56 matches. Tuesday's fixture at the Paris Olympics 2024 is expected to be a thrilling one between the two teams.