Ranchi, Jan 14
The 2018 Asian Games gold medallists Japan turned the equations in Pool A upside down by holding World No.5 Germany 1-1 in a key league match of the women's FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro-Turf Hockey Stadium here on Sunday.
It was Super Sunday for Japan as they defended brilliantly in the first half and then played very aggressively after Germany scored the first goal to not only fight back and equalise but also nearly push Germany to the brink of defeat. With a little bit more fortitude and luck, Japan could have caused a huge upset in the tournament and virtually sealed a place in the semifinals.
Lisa Nolte scored for Germany in the 35th minute after Valentin Altenburg's side missed chances galore including 13 penalty corners in the first session. But that goal seemed to jolt Japan into action and the Asian team that sat back in their half and absorbed the pressure turned volatile and pinned the World No.5 deep in their own half and created many chances.
Miyu Hasegawa scored the all-important goal for Japan off a goalline melee following an indirect variation from a penalty corner. The ball was injected towards skipper Yuri Nagai who was standing to the left of the PC battery and though her shot at goal was blocked by a goalkeeper and another attempt by couple of attempts by the Japanese were thwarted by the German goalkeeper, Japan's Hasegawa slotted the ball home from close quarters to pull them level 1-1.
The Japanese exerted more pressure on the German defence after the goal as they played all-out aggressive hockey but the Germans survived by the skin of their teeth to salvage one point.
Japan played a very tactical game as they sat back and absorbed pressure in the first half. They changed their tactics midway through the third quarter and applied hard press, pushing back Germans to their defensive third.
"We started putting more pressure on the ball because, in the first half, we sat back a bit because we just wanted to defend more than anything else. We didn't want Germany to get away with a one or two-goal lead.
"We wanted to stay as close as possible and then after we went down a goal and half-time some changed that and got a bit more aggressive," said Japan head coach Jude Menezes.
Mrnrzes, the former India goalkeeper who tended the goal for India in the Sydney Olympics in 2000, said it is a huge point for them as it sets up a knock-out match with Chile for a place in the semifinal. Germany will play an easier opponent in the Czech Republic who have lost both their matches.
In all, Germany squandered 14 penalty corners. It was a match of two halves with Germany holding a fort in the first half and Japan fighting back in the second.
This draw means both Japan and Germany are tied for the top spot with three points from two matches while Chile are third with three points from two games.