Wrapping up

What an amazing story for a team that took to crowdfunding to get to the tournament. Ireland have been sensational throughout the tournament. They have stuck to their strength, enjoyed their game and have been resilient on the key moments – like they were in the shootouts today. The Indian attack failed to step up on the day it mattered the most. They made several circle penetrations. But the spark that needed to convert the chances was missing. Their target before the tournament was to get to the quarter-final. But they’d be disappointed not to make the semis after the way they played against Italy to beat them 3-0 in the pre-quarterfinal. They need to recuperate quickly for the Asian Games is getting closer and closer.

India 1-3 Ireland: Chloe Watkins hammers the fail nail in the coffin for India. IRELAND ARE IN THE SEMIS! They are the second lowest team in the tournament. Remarkable journey for the Green Machine. They will take on Spain in Saturday’s quarter-final.

India 1-2 Ireland: India had to score and Reena does it for the Indians.

India 0-2 Ireland: Allison Meeke scores Ireland’s second.

India 0-1 Ireland: McFarren saves again. At the last second. What a goalkeeping. Navjot Kaur can’t equalise.

India 0-1 Ireland: Roisin Upton beats Savita. First time in this match, the ball enters the net.

India 0-0 Ireland: Monika tried to get McFarren out and befuddle her. But the time was running out and Monika hit out.

India 0-0 Ireland: Savita puts in a dive to deny Anna O’Flanagan.

India 0-0 Ireland: Rani Rampal denied by Ayeisha McFarren. It’s still 0-0!

India 0-0 Ireland: Nicola Daly misses, Savita saves.

Shootout time...

HOOTER! We are heading into a shootout after an extreme battle of defence. Neither team found that moment of magic that would have given them the win. It’s anybody’s game now. India made four circle entries, had one shot on goal and earned the match’s only penalty corner in the fourth quarter but Ireland, despite being tired, did not just let India breach their defence.

Final quarter (2 minutes to go), India 0-0 Ireland: Less than two minutes to go. Are we heading for a shootout? The last time that happened between these teams, Ireland won 4-3.

Final quarter (3 minutes to go), India 0-0 Ireland: Udita gets a green card with three and a half minutes to go. They will be down to 10 players for the next two minutes.

Final quarter (4 minutes to go), India 0-0 Ireland: India have lost their referral with four minutes left. Might prove crucial in the end.

Final quarter (4 minutes to go), India 0-0 Ireland: Poor passing by both teams. Lalremsiami’s ball missed by Vandana. Ireland counter-attack quickly and get the ball ahead. But the midfielder passes the ball directly to Gurjit Kaur.

Final quarter (6 minutes to go), India 0-0 Ireland: The teams are starting to look a little bit tired. They are desperate to find the opener, which will possibly be the winner. Ireland’s making more counter-attacks now.

Final quarter (9 minutes to go), India 0-0 Ireland: Anna O’Flanagan, the goal-scorer in the previous India-Ireland game, makes her fourth circle penetration of this game and comes close to scoring. But the Indians snatch the ball away from her.

Final quarter (11 minutes to go), India 0-0 Ireland: Rani passes from the Irish outer circle. It hits Mathews’s legs and India get the first penalty corner of the match! Monika traps, Rani strikes. But the Irish goalie McFerran reads it really well. She denies India once again.

Final quarter (12 minutes to go), India 0-0 Ireland: Free hit for India, but a wrong pass again. They can’t afford even these tiny errors, with the game locked 0-0 in the final quarter.

End of third quarter, India 0-0 Ireland: India desperately make a circle entry, scramble near the Irish net but fail to get one in. Just 15 minutes to go now for both teams to score. Clutch situation. A semi-final against Spain awaits.

Third quarter (2 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: Long pass from the defence. Rani fails to latch on to it in the midfield. The ball goes out. Ireland gets the ball back quickly. And gets it away.

Third quarter (4 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: Free hit for Ireland. But India clear it though. Both teams are making a few errors in this quarter. Poor trapping, especially. Still no circle entry in the third quarter.

Third quarter (6 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: Just six minutes for the penalty corner to end and neither team has made a circle entry. But Ireland have looked the better team so far. It’s still 0-0 though. All it takes is one momentary lapse, though, or a moment of brilliance.

Third quarter (10 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: Poor trapping by the Indians. They haven’t been able to hold on to the passes. A crucial phase this. India shoud avoid these errors.

Third quarter (12 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: Indian coach Sjoerd Marijne, during the half-time break, said his team needs to pass more. They haven’t made a lot in the last three minutes.

Half-time stats:-

Circle penetrations: India 6-5 Ireland

Shots: India 1-1 Ireland

Penalty corners: India 0-0 Ireland

Hooter! And, it’s half-time. Ireland make a desperate final attack. But India once again deny Ireland any inroads. The deadlock’s still not been broken. Shirley McCay reckons the 0-0 scoreline is a sign of both teams battling very hard. She believes India’s fatigue will be higher than her team’s and they will capitalise in the next two quarters.

Second quarter (1 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: Most of the battle happening in the middle of the pitch as both teams try to break free. Ireland make a good move but Chloe Watkins misses the ball. The Indians have the ball again.

Second quarter (3 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: A bit of jitters for Ireland when Rani played a nice one-two with Deepika. Surrounded by two defenders, she didn’t have a good angle to strike though. The ball hits the side netting.

Second quarter (5 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: India’s possession has improved a little. They lead 54-46 now. But they haven’t gotten close to the Irish net this quarter. Which team will break first?

Second quarter (7 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: Ireland’s upping the ante. They are putting constant pressure on the Indian defence. Will it break? With two solid defences, it has been a tight game so far.

Second quarter (10 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: India are trying long passes. They have constructed good attacks. But the Irish defence – as it has been throughout the tournament – ironlike. Rani and Co need something special to get ahead in this match.

Second quarter (13 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: No circle penetrations so far. Both teams still locked at 0-0. None of them have been able to find an opening so far.

Irish coach Graham Shaw reckons his team’s playing well and just needs to get an opening in near the Indian net. It’s the same for the Indians as well.

End of first quarter India 0-0 Ireland: The hooter goes! Both coaches rush to their players. It’s been a hot afternoon at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre. Fitness will be a crucial factor today. They have done a lot of running in the first quarter. Zero shots on goal so far.

First quarter (2 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: 50-50 possession so far. Zero shots on goal. The defence has been impeccable.

First quarter (3 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: Three circle entries by India so far. But Ireland’s counterattacking well, too. Rani’s ankle (injured during the USA game), according to the commentators, is now fine. She’s definitely one of the crucial players in this match.

First quarter (5 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: India make a good move from the midfield. The ball gets to Vandana. But two Irish defenders close in and cut all her angle. The Ireland defence isn’t allowing any time for the Indian attackers to set up a shot.

First quarter (7 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: One circle entry by each team so far. No serious chances of a goal though. Ireland came close to getting a penalty corner. Both teams on their toes.

First quarter (9 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: Scramble near the Indian net. But the Irish attack is tied down by the Indian defence. For both sides, their defence have been near-watertight. Which is why, the first goal in this game will be very crucial.

First quarter (12 minutes to go) India 0-0 Ireland: The possession’s been with the Green Machine so far. They are in control. They had an excellent group stage, good rest and finished atop their group despite being the lowest ranked team. Their fresh for this challenge. They have enjoyed a superior head-to-head record in the last five meetings against India as well.

10:25 pm: It’s a sunny day at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre. The players run out to the field with a huge roar for the Ireland team. There are quite a few Indian fans too. Time for the national anthem.

IRELAND v INDIA LAST FIVE MATCHES:-

2018: Ireland beat India 1-0

2017: Ireland beat India 2-1

2016: Ireland beat India 1-1(4-3 in shootouts)

2016: Ireland beat India 4-0

2014: Ireland drew with India 2-2

Ireland starting XI:- Nicola Evans, Kathryn Mullan (C), Shirley McCay, Gillian Pinder, Roisin Upton, Ayeisha McFerran (GK), Chloe Watkins, Lizzie Colvin, Hannah Matthews, Hannah O’Flanagan, Zoe Wilson.

India’s starting XI:-

09:50 pm Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the all-important quarter-final game between Ireland and India. Before the tournament, this match would have been an easy one to predict for many as world No 10 India, ranked six places above Ireland, would have been the clear favourites to win this one. But the way this tournament has progressed – with a slew of upsets by lower-ranked teams and Ireland beating the higher-ranked India and USA – allows for no easy calls. India struggled to break the Irish defence during their first encounter. But they have improved a lot ever since. So, they, despite the group stage defeat, hold the edge tonight.