Marijne's mantra fuels India to 1-0 win over China for Asian Games women's hockey gold
India beat defending champions China 1-0 in the women's hockey final at the Asian Games on Friday to claim the gold medal.
Lalremsiami's first-quarter goal proved decisive as India produced a strong defensive display to protect their lead, securing the nation's first women's hockey Asian Games gold since 1982.
Coach Sjoerd Marijne said his message to the players before and during the match was simple and consistent: "I always tell the girls that the basics are good defending, discipline and keeping on running. It doesn't matter if it's raining or the circumstances are not good. You can always run, and that's what we did today as a team," Marijne said after the match.
China mounted sustained attacking pressure and enjoyed long spells of possession, but India remained organised at the back and managed to withstand the onslaught to keep the scoreline intact.
Goalkeepers Savita Punia and Bichu Devi were pivotal in maintaining the clean sheet, with Savita denying China from a penalty stroke late in the game.
Marijne singled out the penalty save and the relationship between the two keepers in his post-match remarks: "Amazing (penalty save). But also Bichu and the way they have been doing this together. I have never seen two individuals helping each other so much," Marijne said. "They both play in the same position, but every time they bring out the best in each other. That is a compliment to both of them. And now it is Savita who made this beautiful save," he added.
On possession and areas for improvement, Marijne was candid: "In terms of ball possession, it was not our best game. But it is about who is more effective. Today, we were very effective," he said. "We must keep the ball longer as a team. I saw a little nervousness in the first quarter, which can happen," Marijne said. "But we were not always able to retain possession, also because of China's good work. That is something we need to improve," he added.
He credited the wider group around the players and pointed to cultural changes within the squad, saying: "But it was really a team performance, not just from the players but also from the support staff. Everybody had a big role in this," and "I think one of the biggest changes has been discipline, and secondly, working for each other. I always say that if you focus on the team goal, you will achieve your individual goal. If you focus on your individual goal, you will not achieve the team goal," he said. The gold also represented a turnaround for a side that had missed the Paris Olympics after failing to qualify.
The victory clinched automatic qualification for India at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.