FIH pro league: India get the point

London, June 3

The Indian players held their nerve to pull off a stellar 4-2 shootout win over Great Britain to bag the bonus point after the two teams were locked 4-4 in regulation time in their FIH Hockey Pro League match here London today.

Krishan Pathak was outstanding in front of the goal, making two crucial saves in the shootout while Manpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Lalit Upadhyay and Abhishek scored for India.

Earlier, in regulation time, Harmanpreet Singh (7th minute), Mandeep Singh (19th), Sukhjeet Singh (28th) and Abhishek (50th) scored for India while Sam Ward scored all four goals for his team, in the 8th, 40th, 47th and 53rd minutes. Ward’s last three goals helped his team come back from 0-1 down to 4-4 parity eventually. Ward’s effort not only ensured that is team stayed on top of the pool table, but also kept them unbeaten in regulation time this season.

Living up to their billing, both teams produced an action-packed start to the game, pushing each other from hooter-to-hooter.

The first quarter saw the hosts keeping India goalie Krishan Pathak busy by earning three penalty corners and a few field goal opportunities within the first six minutes. But Pathak was impressive as he thwarted the home attacks.

Patiently building on their attacks, India found an opportunity to score in the seventh minute through a penalty corner. Harmanpreet Singh, the all-time top scorer in FIH Pro League, was effective with his strike as he put India ahead, pumping the ball to the bottom corner of the goal. But merely seconds later, Great Britain scored in similar fashion when experienced Sam Ward equalised.

India switched gears in their attack in the second quarter, scoring two crucial goals that put them in command. Hardik Singh set up India’s second goal in the 19th minute with a superb pass, piercing through the home defence, to Mandeep Singh, who fired it past Toby Reynolds-Cotterill at goal. This was Mandeep’s 99th international goal and he dedicated it to the victims of the Odisha train accident, pointing to the black armband he sported along with the team to show their solidarity with the victims of the tragedy.

India’s third goal came in the 28th minute. Once again it was Hardik who was India’s star in the middle, assisting Sukhjeet Singh with an efficient pass. Picking up the assist well, Sukhjeet cleverly moved away into an unmarked position and fired the ball away to the far corner.

In control of the game with a 3-1 lead at half-time, India made Great Britain work to find space in their circle. Through the hosts mustered a penalty corner six minutes into the quarter, Nicholas Bandurak’s attempt was comfortably blocked by Jarmanpreet Singh at goalline. Great Britain got lucky in the 40th minute when they won the second penalty corner of the third quarter. Ward flicked the ball to the bottom corner and, unfortunately for India, the ball bounced into the post off Pathak’s stick. With the lead narrowing down to 3-2, India were under pressure to stay in lead.

The visitors began the final quarter strongly, winning a penalty corner, but Harmanpreet’s flick was blocked by Rupert Shipperley. Backed by a strong home fanbase, GB equalised in the 47th minute when Thomas Sorsby set up Ward for a field goal. Thereafter the last 10 minutes were tense, with both teams scoring once.

Dilpreet and Vivek Sagar worked in tandem to assist Abhishek to score in the 50th minute, but Ward scored his fourth three minutes later, taking the game down to the wire.

India’s campaign now moves to Eindhoven, where they will take on hosts Netherlands and Argentina. India sit second on the table, two points behind Great Britain.