India's women's hockey coach Jannekke Schopmann said she was "angry" over the controversial penalty-shootout defeat to Australia in the CWG semi-final on Friday.
The first penalty in the shootout was ordered to be retaken after it transpired that the stopwatch for the countdown hadn't started because the official hadn't given the signal for it to start. India's Savita Punia had already made a save off the first attempt by Ambrosia Malone, but Malone got another chance and she converted the retake.
Australia went on to win the shoot-out 3-0 and entered the final; India will play the bronze medal match on Sunday.
India vs Australia shootout controversy explained - why was Savita Punia's save ruled out?
"I am angry, also because the umpires don't understand it either," Schopmann told the media after the match. "The Australians were not complaining. They know they've missed it. There was easily ten seconds that they got the opportunity to score, so why do you have to [retake it]?"
"It affected our momentum. [The retake] went in, and everyone is deflated, we don't need to be but it's human emotion... It would be better to have the strength to shake it off and think it doesn't matter, but of course, it does matter."
"I think those people [the delegates] just do not understand the game and the emotions that are involved." "I've never experienced anything like this [in her playing and coaching career]," she said.
"I'm not using it as an excuse, but you know, your goalkeeper makes a save, that's an enormous boost for the team and you turn the decision around," Schopmann said. "The team was really upset about it. I'm sure their focus was lost a little bit after that, and that's not an excuse, just a simple fact."
Savita, also India's captain, said her task now would be to raise her team's morale. "We're not using it as an excuse, but we are human," she said after the match. "It definitely affected us psychologically." Lalremsiami, who had to take India's first penalty and missed, already under the pressure of having to score, echoed the same thoughts.