Spain hand India second loss

Madrid, July 29 

The Indian men’s hockey team got a reality check just before the start of the Rio Olympics after they were stunned 3-2 by lower-ranked Spain in the second practice game of the tour here. World No. 5 India lost the two-match series 2-0 as they lost the opening match against world no. 11 Spain 4-1.

Manpreet Singh (38th minute) and Ramandeep (57th) scored for India, while Josep Romeu (20th), Pau Quemada (42nd) and Salvador Piera (53rd) scored for the hosts late last night.

Romeu provided the breakthrough for Spain by converting their second penalty corner five minutes into the second quarter.

India came out stronger in the second half and Manpreet drew parity for the visitors with a smart field goal. But Spain took the lead again within four minutes with another penalty corner, this time converted by Quemada.

In the final quarter, India started pushing forward in numbers to get the equalizer, while Spain played the waiting game. The home team scored the third goal through Piera. Ramandeep pulled one back but India couldn’t find the equaliser in the final three minutes. 

Juniors thrash England 7-1

Marlow (England): India’s junior men’s hockey team maintained its unbeaten run on the tour of England as it thrashing the hosts 7-1 at the Bisham Abbey Sports Centre here. 

For India, Ajay Yadav (27th, 43rd minutes) and Varun Kumar (32nd, 35th) scored two goals apiece yesterday, while Manpreet (15th), Gurjant Singh (38th) and Simranjeet Singh (40th) found the back of the net once each. England’s lone strike came from the stick of Ed Holer.

Holding possession for sustained periods seemed to be India’s tactical objective. India’s relentless pressure resulted in the breakthrough when Manpreet found the net in the 15th minute. England hit back almost immediately through a penalty corner converted by Holer.

But that was all England could manage as India took the lead in the second quarter when Gurjant’s cross found Yadav inside the circle and he made no mistake.

Kumar increased India’s lead, scoring from a penalty corner in the 32nd minute. He doubled his tally just before halftime by converting another penalty corner.

India kept up the high tempo after the break and scored early via Gurjant before Simranjeet’s brilliant individual goal gave the visitors a 6-1 lead. India then earned two quick penalty corners and Yadav scored his second off an indirect set-play. — PTI