Sreejesh Lauds Team's Effort in Olympic Semifinal Despite Loss to Germany

Veteran Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh expressed disappointment over missed opportunities in the Olympic semifinal against Germany. Despite the loss, he praised his teammates for their resilience during the challenging match. India lost 2-3 to Germany and will now compete for bronze in the Paris Games.

Sreejesh acknowledged that Germany had prepared well to counter drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh. This preparation impacted the final result, leaving India to fight for a bronze medal. "I think they've done a wonderful job against Harman, how to tackle him, because he's one of the best drag flickers in the world," Sreejesh stated.

Focus on Bronze Medal Match

India earned 11 penalty corners but managed to convert only two. Sreejesh noted, "That was a difficult match, we got our chances but could not convert them, that's it." He emphasised that the team must quickly regroup and focus on winning the bronze against Spain on Thursday.

Sreejesh stressed the importance of moving past the defeat and concentrating on the upcoming match. "It's a medal match and it's not about me, it's about the country. It's about those 19 players here, all the staff," he said. He urged his teammates to treat this as their last opportunity to secure a medal for India.

Team's Performance and Future Plans

Refuting suggestions that his teammates were nervous, Sreejesh said, "If they were nervous, they couldn't make that kind of opportunities on the field." He praised their efforts, stating they fought like champions despite some bad luck. "They fought back, they really stand tall," he added.

Sreejesh highlighted that analysing the defeat is crucial for future planning. "We need to look at this match also because from there we realise what went wrong and what we can do better," he explained. He mentioned that understanding these aspects is vital as opponents learn from such matches to exploit weaknesses.

Challenges Ahead Against Spain

Spain is known for their fighting spirit, as demonstrated in their quarter-final performance. Sreejesh warned that India cannot afford to be complacent against them. "Definitely Spain is not an easy team. They are really fighters," he remarked.

Sreejesh credited his long career with the Indian team to his teammates' support. Reflecting on his journey, he said, "They helped me to become what I am today." As he prepares for his last match on Thursday, he hopes his teammates will perform well for him.

Despite the setback against Germany, Sreejesh remains optimistic about India's chances in the bronze medal match. The team aims to learn from their mistakes and deliver a strong performance against Spain.