India need to guard against complacency versus Spain

Araijeet Singh, who scored a hat-trick v Korea

Their campaign has started off positively, but India must guard against complacency when they face Spain in their second Pool C match of the FIH junior men's hockey World Cup here on Thursday.

Vice-captain Araijeet Singh Hundal came out to be India's saviour, scoring a hat-trick as India overcame some anxious moments to beat Korea 4-2 in their opener on Tuesday.

But India's coach CR Kumar was not too satisfied with the performance and said his side needs to be more clinical and avoid conceding unnecessary penalty corners.

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India conceded six penalty corners, while earned just two against Korea. "We are very happy that we got the three points and that's the positive side. But we have to more clinical in both circles. We conceded two goals in penalty corners which we need to pay attention to," Kumar said after the Korea match.

"We gave away too many many penalty corners, six in the whole game where we had just two. We need to be more cautious."

India are striving to secure their fourth podium finish in the event after having won the tournament twice in 2001 (Hobart) and Lucknow (2016).

The country had clinched a silver medal way back in 1997 in Milton Keynes, England.

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