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Fulton Relieved as India Survive Pakistan Scare, Admits Big Learnings
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News18•01-10-2026, 19:00
Fulton Relieved as India Survive Pakistan Scare, Admits Big Learnings
- •India's head coach Craig Fulton expressed relief after the team's dramatic 4-3 semifinal victory against Pakistan, securing a spot in the Asian Games hockey final.
- •Fulton acknowledged defensive lapses and missed opportunities, stating the team lost shape in the third and fourth quarters, allowing Pakistan to equalize after India led 3-0.
- •Despite the win, Fulton was critical of India's failure to capitalize on attacking dominance in the first half, emphasizing the need for more goals against strong opponents.
- •He dismissed suggestions of a defensive retreat, attributing Pakistan's comeback to missed chances and individual errors rather than a change in tactics.
- •Fulton highlighted the importance of staying present and not being distracted by the outcome, emphasizing the need for the team to learn from the experience and improve for the final.
Key Questions Answered
Defending champions India secured a dramatic 4-3 victory against Pakistan after surviving a stunning second-half fightback that erased India's initial three-goal lead.
Head coach Craig Fulton pointed out that India lost their shape during the third and early fourth quarters, missed crucial opportunities to extend their first-half lead to four or five goals, and allowed individual errors to let Pakistan back into the match.
India advanced to the semifinals by finishing on top of Pool A with an unbeaten run, which included dominant victories over Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Japan, South Korea, and a 10-0 win against Bangladesh.
