India's Hockey World Cup Semi-final Qualification Scenario: Exact Results Harmanpreet Singh And Co. Need To Advance
India will need nothing less than a big win against Argentina in their final second-round match on Monday, as their Hockey World Cup semifinal chances hinge on several ifs and buts
- India must beat Argentina by at least two goals to keep semifinal hopes alive
- India's semifinal qualification depends on Netherlands beating England by three goals
- Netherlands have already secured semifinal spot with six points in Pool E
India will need nothing less than a big win against Argentina in their final second-round match on Monday, as their Hockey World Cup semifinal chances hinge on several ifs and buts. The 1-3 defeat against the Netherlands had almost ended India's semifinal hopes, but Argentina's win over England on Saturday kept them mathematically alive. A lot will depend on the result of the Netherlands-England clash, which will also be played on Monday, but after the India vs Argentina match. (India vs Argentina Live Updates)
The Netherlands will have to beat England for India to have any chance of reaching the semifinals. If England draw or beat the Netherlands, even a win against Argentina will see India bow out of the tournament.
Under the new World Cup format, the top two teams from Pool E will advance to the semifinals. The Netherlands have already secured their place in the last four with six points.
The Complex Equation
England and Argentina are level on three points after two matches, while India are yet to open their account in the second phase. Technically, they are still in contention, though their chances are slim. The simplest route for India is to beat Argentina by at least two goals and hope England lose to the Netherlands by at least three goals. A victory over Argentina would take India to three points, and the margin of victory could prove crucial if the teams finish level on points.
India need at least a four-goal swing between their result and England's for them to qualify for the semifinals. If India win 3-1 against Argentina, they would have scored six goals and conceded eight. In that case, if England lose 0-2, they would have scored five goals and conceded seven. India would go through on the basis of having scored more goals.
The task, though, is easier said than done. Argentina have already shown their attacking strength in this tournament and will take confidence from their 3-1 win over England on Saturday. They also defeated India 8-0 and 4-2 in the FIH Pro League earlier this year in Rourkela.
Argentina's experienced campaigner Matias Rey, a member of the gold medal-winning side at the 2016 Rio Olympics, will once again be a key figure for them. The six-time World Cup participant has 329 international appearances to his name.
For India, the biggest concern will be converting possession and chances into goals. They created opportunities against the Netherlands but struggled to apply the finishing touches, while the Dutch struck three times after half-time to turn the game around.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)
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