Coach Harendra Singh was confident ahead of the match that his team can push one of the best sides in the world. “Unfortunately, I feel sad for my girls for the two matches against Australia (where they lost by 1-goal margins), they gave it everything but still we couldn’t get the points. But that’s the mindset with which we have come here. If we play to our strengths like we did against the Aussies, we will have a good chance.”

They did, indeed, but it came down to what they did with those chances ultimately.

India overall had the better of the opening exchanges at both ends of the pitch, creating good attacking angles but also holding a solid shape defensively and largely restricting Argentina to passive possession. The first strong attacking move of the match came from India as Neha broke through from a tight area in the defensive half before releasing Lalremsiami, who made a driving run into the circle but her shot was weak. And the first big chance of the match came with four minutes to go in Q1 as Salima Tete found herself in space down the right channel but with time and space, the captain fluffed her lines, caught in two minds over crossing across goal and going for a shot, ultimately firing it high and wide.

There was a lot of endeavour from India without a clear outcome, a problem area that coach Harendra has been wanting to improve since he took over – making the right decisions in the attacking third. But the opening 15 minutes were a reflection of the confidence that Harendra had on his side for pulling off something against one of the best teams in the world.

Argentina upped the tempo at the start of the second quarter, playing one-touch hockey and looking vertical on the pitch instead of sideways. A Penalty Corner was a just reward for them, and it gave the brilliant Agustina Gorzelany a chance to test the Indian defence with her drag flicks. Over the next couple of months in England, it is a sight cricket fans would not want to see from Indian batters in the Test series, but a leading edge from Navneet Kaur’s stick prevented a certain goal after Bichu Devi was beaten in goal. The goalkeeper reacted sharply shortly after from a good deflection on target, and India hung on to the clean sheet.

India should have gone ahead soon after a blistering counterattack initiated by vice-captain Navneet Kaur. She drove forward from the defensive half, found Lalremsiami down the right who hit a nice pass into the circle. The ball eventually fell to Baljeet Kaur at the far post and from a good 1v1 situation, she couldn’t find the target as she tried to lift the ball over the keeper who was actually off her line. Lack of composure, again a problem.

When you don’t convert the half chances against top sides, invariably, they make you pay. With less than two minutes to go in the half, Gorzelany, the lone player in the Argentina half, had all the time to play a long aerial into the circle. Jyoti Singh attempted to play it first, but her touch took the ball into the stick of an Argentine attacker and the ball broke kindly to Victoria Falasco who hammered a powerful low shot past Bichu.

To India’s credit though, they kept going till the last moments of the half and won a PC with six seconds left on the clock. And Deepika stepped up and fired a low drag flick to beat the first rusher and then the goalkeeper to her right. It wasn’t about the power but about placement, showing an evolution in her flicking.

Coach Harendra loves referring to India’s style as ‘masala hockey’, and at the start of the second half, they had two deliciously spicy chances to take the lead. A brilliant turnover in defence resulted in a blistering counterattack, developing into a 3v1 situation, but Salima delayed her pass-shot too late, and Cristina Cosentino was able to pad it away. And India actually had another 3v1 situation shortly after too, and this time Navneet’s shot across goal was blocked. Two golden chances in the matter of minutes went begging.

Then Gorzelany’s class from the PCs made the difference for Argentina again as India’s inability to take the lead bit them back. The drag-flick ace went high this time, targeting the roof of the net and the ball hit Jyoti Singh’s body on the line, resulting in a penalty stroke that the Argentine star duly converted.

India won a couple of PCs early in the final quarter but not for the first time, they had Deepika on the bench and not on the field, meaning they had to resort to their backup plans that didn’t pay off. Argentina’s third goal came off a stroke that was harshly given against India and Gorzelany made no mistake. She’d go on to complete a hat-trick from another drag flick, making the most of India being one short defensively. A 4-1 scoreline perhaps flattered Argentina but it was a result brought about by India’s inability to convert periods of dominance into goals and the world No 2 having an elite goalscorer like Gorzelany in their ranks.