04 August,2021 07:12 AM IST | Tokyo | PTI
India players are distraught after their semi-final defeat to Belgium yesterday. Pic/PTI
The 2-5 loss to Belgium in the Olympic semi-finals on Tuesday is disappointing but Indian men's hockey team captain Manpreet Singh and star custodian PR Sreejesh said the side has no time to dwell on the heartbreak as it has to refocus for Thursday's bronze medal play-off against Germany, who lost to Australia 1-3 in the other semi-final.
The eight-time winners of Olympic gold, the last of which came way back in 1980, fell short against world champions Belgium, losing 2-5 in the semi-finals here on Tuesday.
"It is really hard for me right now because we came with a winning mindset, but unfortunately we didn't win the match. Now, we need to focus on our next bronze-medal match and we need to work, get the medal," Manpreet said after the loss.
"It's a great honour for us reaching the semi-final after a long time, but now we need to focus on our next match...it is really important for us. At least, we should win a bronze medal for the nation," he added.
The skipper said that having toiled hard for the last five years to reach this level, India deserved a better result. "It's always been hard work and togetherness. This team have been together for the last four or five years. We have worked really hard to reach this level. We deserve better. Unfortunately, we couldn't get it
today."
Sreejesh agreed with his skipper and said the loss against Belgium is a thing of the past now and it's time to focus on returning home with a medal from Tokyo.
"Disappointed, but you don't have time to worry about that. You need to forget about that and think about the future. Now, we still have a chance to win a medal and that's more important for us than crying at this time," he said.
"It's more important for us to think about the future, think about where we lost, where we committed the mistakes, rectify that, and move on," he added.
Senior India defender Rupinder Pal Singh too felt that all is not lost. "Of course, it's heartbreaking for us, reaching the semi-final after 41 years and we were here to win the gold. That was our aim, but we lost today. The great thing is we have a chance to finish third in the next game," he said.
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