There is no real away World Cup if you are an Indian team. You will be hard-pressed to go to a corner of the globe without running into an Indian. Amstelveen, one of the co-hosts of the World Cup, is no exception. The suburb south of Amsterdam is home to more Indians than any other nationality.
For skipper Harmanpreet Singh, the game against Pakistan felt like ‘playing in India.’ After his two goals in the 5-3 win on Wednesday, which took him to the top of the goal charts, Harmanpreet was rightly serenaded by the Indian supporters, who had turned out in large numbers to show their love.
But with admiration also comes the pressure to perform. There are expectations for India to return to the podium after 51 years, with a yearning to reclaim the crown. Yet despite two wins in three matches and securing qualification to the second round, India has underwhelmed.
The eight goals conceded (third-worst defensive record among the 16 teams), the drop in intensity, and the lack of control exhibited while defending leads hardly make India look like a credible title challenger.
How the action unfolded | India vs Pakistan Highlights
India has played only one of the tournament’s top sides so far. Its next opponents, Netherlands and possibly Argentina, will not extend that courtesy. India lost heavily in its two Pro League home games against the South American team and came out with a win and a loss against Netherlands in Rotterdam. But this will be a full-strength Dutch side, feeding off the energy of their own home fans.
Against world No. 3 England, India crumbled under a relentless man-to-man press in the third quarter to surrender its advantage, before losing 4-2. With no carryover points from that game, India will enter the second round with a mountain to climb.
Against Pakistan, Indian midfielders Hardik Singh’s misplaced pass and Vivek Sagar Prasad being caught on the ball played a part in two of Pakistan’s goals. In the opener, India found itself under pressure from Wales and relied on saves from goalkeepers Suraj Karkera and Mohith HS to see out the win.
Head coach Craig Fulton, who preaches a ‘defending to win’ mantra, will be well aware that these defensive statistics and repeated errors cannot be the bedrock for a deep run in this tournament.
“100% defence,” stressed Harmanpreet when asked what needs improving ahead of the next round, calling for his side to cut out ‘silly mistakes’.
“If you risk the opportunities, it will work. But if you make a mistake in the back, it won’t be safe…But not just defensively, but if you are winning the ball in your 25, make sure you keep the ball and [make the right pass]. These are silly mistakes we are getting punished for. But if we do that well, I think we are in good shape,” said the defender.
The biggest positive so far has been Harmanpreet’s return to form, which has boosted India’s Penalty Conversion. India has the joint-best PC efficiency (50%) and has scored the most goals (6) from PC conversion.
Forward Abhishek Nain provided much-needed individual brilliance in field play. His dazzling stickwork inside the circle against Pakistan earned him his first goals of the tournament. However, his fellow forward Mandeep Singh is yet to open his account. India has made inroads through its counter-attacks, midfield play and long balls, but decision-making inside the 23-yard area has been left wanting.
Abhishek was frank with his assessment, too, stating, “We need to improve because if we play with this kind of connection in the next few matches, I don’t think we will be able to score.”
Yet Fulton’s protection of his players will only stretch so far, with the second round promising to be make-or-break.
Published on Aug 20, 2026
