‘We needed to get to four or five’: Fulton relieved after Pakistan scare

India head coach Craig Fulton was relieved rather than satisfied after the defending champions survived a stunning Pakistan fightback to clinch a dramatic 4-3 semifinal victory to enter the Asian Games hockey final on Thursday.

The escape kept India's title defence on track but exposed defensive lapses and missed chances that the coach admitted his side could ill afford in the final.

“I'm relieved. You can't be happy with being 3-0 up, then going 3-3 and then winning 4-3. I'm happy, but that wasn't ideal,” Fulton said.

The South African acknowledged that India had lost their shape during a crucial phase of the contest, allowing Pakistan to seize the initiative and expose the reigning champions' vulnerabilities.

“We lost a little bit of our shape in the third quarter and at the start of the fourth. But if you make mistakes against a team like this, they can score. They've scored goals against everyone and anyone,” he said.

While India eventually found a way to win, Fulton was critical of his side's failure to capitalise on its attacking dominance in the first half.

The defending champions created several opportunities to extend their advantage but were unable to put the contest beyond Pakistan's reach, leaving the door open for their arch-rivals to mount a comeback.

“We needed to get to four and five goals. We missed a few chances and had a lot of good phases of play in the first half. We needed to get to four and five, but we stayed at three,” Fulton said.

“You need three-plus goals when you play Pakistan, and that was shown today.”

India's inability to convert their chances proved costly as Pakistan gradually worked their way back into the match.

However, Fulton rejected suggestions that his team had consciously retreated into a defensive shell after taking a three-goal lead.

He insisted that missed opportunities and individual errors, rather than a change in tactics, had allowed Pakistan back into the contest.

“I don't think we went on the defensive. We just missed the chances. And then, when you make a mistake or two against a team like that, they can score. That's the difference,” he said.

Fulton said the changing momentum was part of the challenge of knockout hockey, where teams must adapt quickly rather than remain wedded to a predetermined game plan.

“You can't play the game you want to play. You have to play the game that's in front of you. And that's what it was. I'm glad we found a way to get to it,” he said.

Fulton felt his players had become increasingly preoccupied with the outcome in the closing stages, allowing the prospect of victory to distract them from the task at hand.

Asked whether the occasion had weighed on the Indian players, Fulton said it was difficult to assess from the sidelines but acknowledged that his side had struggled to maintain its composure in the final stages.

“I don't know. You have to ask them (players). We showed we could play in the first half, even a bit more, around 40 minutes. In the last 20, it got a little bit cagey. We'll look at it, have the conversation and come back and bounce back again,” he said.

“It's more about the outcome, I think. Not necessarily the occasion. We were a little bit more distracted by the outcome in that moment.

But there's still time left on the clock, so you can't do that.”

India had enjoyed a strong campaign leading into the semifinal, with their attacking prowess producing several one-sided victories.

But Fulton dismissed the suggestion that a lack of closely contested matches had left his team unprepared for Pakistan.

“I don't think so. I just think it's more about us than it's about Pakistan,” he said.

The coach also acknowledged the demands of a long season but stopped short of attributing India's late slump to fatigue.

“It wasn't easy. But because of the tournament you're in, it changes with the dynamics. We can adapt, keep that narrative fresh, stay in the present and not worry or look too far ahead,” he said.

Despite India's struggles, Fulton was pleased that his players continued to push for a winner rather than allow the contest to drift towards a penalty shootout.

“Everyone's trying their best. We scored three goals the way we did and created a lot more chances. That's where you need to step up, stay nice and calm and finish what you start,” he said.

The late winner offered India a reprieve, but Fulton was clear that the manner of their victory would be a major talking point in the team's preparations for the final.

“Big learnings. We just need to finish it off better,” he said.

Fulton was pleased that the team had managed to produce a decisive moment when it mattered most.

“If I said to you we were 3-all with one minute to go, how many people would put money on us scoring? I don't know.

“But I know we always have a way of finding a way to win against Pakistan. So that was good,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Bridge Desk. It is published from a syndicated feed)