FIH Olympic Qualifiers: How India missed a golden opportunity in shootouts against Germany

Indian players celebrate after they equal the score 2-2 against Germany during the FIH Women’s Olympic Qualifiers match, at Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra)

A pall of gloom hung over the Jaipal Singh Stadium. The captain, Savita Punia, was inconsolable. The coach, Janneke Schopman, frowned. The crowd stunned into silence. Shattered that the first chance to qualify for the Paris Olympics had slipped away after coming within touching distance. “We played so hard… But it was not our day,” Savita said, her voice quivering.

It was a sort of heavy-on-the-heart affair that’s become synonymous with the Indian men’s team. The women, too, are following suit. (Read more from Mihir Vasavda)