The coach of eight-times Olympic hockey champions India, in danger of missing the Games for the first time, has said that they cannot leave anything to chance in the upcoming qualifying tournament in Chile.

Joaquim Carvalho leads his team into the crunch tournament next month in Santiago against five other nations.

"It is a huge task ahead," he said. "Britain are expected to be the toughest opponents, but you never know who is going to create the upset."

New Zealand beat Argentina 3-2 in extra time in Auckland on Sunday to finish top in the first of three qualifying events where only the winners earn Olympic berths.

Austria, Bangladesh, Mexico, India, hosts Chile and 1988 Olympic champions Britain will contest the next qualifying tournament in Santiago.

Former gold medallists Germany will play in the final leg in Japan from April 5-13.

India have slumped in the global game since winning their last Olympic title in Moscow in 1980 against a field depleted by a United States-led boycott.

Field hockey is still rated as India's national game, despite cricket's immense popularity. Failure to qualify would be a huge embarrassment for a sport already downgraded and out of favour with the government.

Carvalho, a former India defender, took over in March last year after a woeful 2006 when the team finished 11th out of 12 teams in the World Cup.

India also failed to win an Asian Games medal for the first time in Doha, Qatar, later in the year.

Under Carvalho India retained the Asia Cup in September, beating Asian Games champions South Korea 7-2 in the final. Last month, they won a home series against European championship bronze medallists Belgium 3-1.

India have recently beat Asian Games runners-up China 3-1 and 4-1 in friendlies in Australia, where they are holding their training camp.

"We're leaving nothing to chance," he said. "The boys are quite confident. The matches against Belgium and China will hold us in good stead."

He added that fitness and penalty corner skills have improved.

"We're focusing on the core group here," Carvalho said. "In penalty corners we're doing well. V.R. Raghunath has scored four goals in four matches.

"It's almost 40 degrees Celsius here, but the boys are playing well.

Carvalho felt training abroad would make a difference.

"Back home you get the same teams which are not stronger than you," he said. "They play the same system, you know each and every player."

The Beijing Olympics run from August 8-24.

Reuters