India goalkeeper Krishan Pathak has had a rather unfortunate start to the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/india-aim-to-give-final-touches-to-asiad-preparation-in-asian-champions-trophy-23301531" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Asian Champions Trophy</a> here, having conceded all three goals in the team&rsquo;s two matches so far (2-7 v China and 1-1 v Japan).
Team India alternates between its custodians in every match with veteran <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/after-20-yrs-novel-home-coming-for-hockey-hero-23301482" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">PR Sreejesh</a> playing the first and third quarters and Pathak playing the second and fourth.
In the opening encounter, China&rsquo;s Wenhui E beat Pathak from close range after which drag flicker Jiesheng Gao made no mistake with a accurately directed shot into the top left corner of the goal. In the Japan match too, Pathak was beaten by a Ken Nagayoshi penalty corner drag flick which sneaked in through the bottom left.
<h2>Three goals conceded</h2>
&ldquo;Personally, it&rsquo;s always better to start a tournament well, so from that aspect, it has not been great for me. It&rsquo;s not that I played badly, those things [goals] just happened and could have been avoided. But we have other matches coming up, so I would prefer to focus on that instead of dwelling on the past,&rdquo; Pathak told mid-day during the tournament&rsquo;s rest day on Saturday.
&ldquo;We played well and created a lot of chances. Had we taken them, things could have been different, but Japan defended well and that&rsquo;s the reason we could not convert so many penalty corners [India converted just one out of 15],&rdquo; added Pathak.&nbsp;
<h2>&lsquo;A good learning&rsquo;</h2>
A hockey goalkeeper&rsquo;s role can be a lonely one at the back with all that closed protective gear on, but it also presents a leadership opportunity and that is something Pathak is keen to work on. &ldquo;It always hurts when you concede a goal, but as a goalkeeper your mistakes are more visible. Sometimes it so happens that you make five-six good saves, but suddenly one ball goes in and everybody has seen only that goal. But I feel as a goalkeeper, you have a better view from the back so you can shape your defence or structure it accordingly with your guidance. That&rsquo;s something I look forward to doing &nbsp;better. The last two matches have been a good learning and it&rsquo;s always good to learn lessons early in a tournament, so that you improve going forward,&rdquo; he signed off.
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India goalkeeper Krishan Pathak has had a rather unfortunate start to the Asian Champions Trophy, having conceded all 3 goals in the team’s 2 matches so far

Asian Champions Trophy: 'It always hurts when you concede a goal,' says India goalkeeper Krishan Pathak

God knows my conscience is clear: Jothikumaran

India goalkeeper Krishan Pathak has had a rather unfortunate start to the Asian Champions Trophy here, having conceded all three goals in the team’s two matches so far

It always hurts when you concede a goal: India goalkeeper Krishan Pathak

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