Home FEATURED NEWS India stun world champions Germany 3-2 in first match after World Cup debacle | Hockey News

India stun world champions Germany 3-2 in first match after World Cup debacle | Hockey News

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NEW DELHI: The Indian hockey workforce left the World Cup debacle behind as they shocked world champions Germany 3-2 within the first match of the FIH Pro League in Rourkela on Friday.
Striker Sukhjeet Singh scored a brace as he struck the sphere objectives within the thirty first and forty second minutes to be adjudged participant of the match. The 26-year-old Sukhjeet survived the axe after India’s pre-quarterfinal exit within the World Cup in January.
His captain Harmanpreet Singh, joint top-scorer within the match to this point, had given the house facet the lead within the thirtieth minute via a penalty nook conversion.
Harmanpreet had additionally flopped massive time throughout the World Cup held right here and in Bhubaneswar as he had struggled to search out the goal from his drag flick within the massive matches within the showpiece.
India had been 3-0 up within the forty second minute earlier than Paul-Philipp Kaufmann and Michel Struthoff struck for Germany within the forty fourth and 57th minutes respectively.
The Germans, who got here with a number of gamers of their World Cup-winning workforce, struggled to attain from the penalty corners. They acquired six PCs as in opposition to 4 of India.
The guests acquired off to a robust begin with 5 back-to-back PCs within the tenth minute however India held their nerves to defend all of them.
Striker Abhishek’s efforts within the circle within the later a part of the second quarter lastly introduced the momentum India was vying for.
Up till then, stray makes an attempt by strikers Gurjant Singh and Dilpreet Singh — each introduced in to the workforce after lacking the World Cup — within the preliminary minutes of the sport was put away by German keeper Alexander Stadler.
Abhishek’s fast pondering in his deal with to surge forward contained in the putting circle pressured a German infringement that earned the house workforce its first PC of the match simply earlier than the half time.
Harmanpreet, who was retained as captain regardless of the sacking of head coach Graham Reid after the World Cup, was high class in his try, selecting up injection by Hardik Singh to fiercely put it away into the correct nook of the publish, giving India the much-needed 1-0 lead.
The lead was a shot within the arm for India’s assault as they constructed on it within the third quarter. An excellent cross by Jarmanpreet Singh from the 25m mark, slicing into the circle to discover a excellent deflection by Sukhjeet fetched India their second aim within the first minute after resumption.
About 11 minutes later, Sukhjeet struck once more. Manpreet Singh powered an extended cross from the midfield to the putting circle which was picked up properly by the proficient teenager S Karthi who then assisted Sukhjeet to attain his second aim of the match and India’s third in opposition to a formidable German defence.
Apart from stitching collectively good assaults, with the midfield and ahead line in sync, India made some sensible referrals that stored the German assault at bay.
The guests, although, managed a aim simply earlier than the tip of third quarter when Elian Mazkour arrange Paul-Philipp Kaufmann to attain.
India showcased some very good deep defending within the ultimate moments of the match with Germany pulling out their goalkeeper and including an additional man to their assault.
Always recognized to complete properly, Germany tucked in a aim with simply over two minutes left for the ultimate hooter. It was Hannes Muller who arrange the aim for Michel Struthoff.
Action did not finish there with India being awarded a penalty stroke within the dying seconds of the match however Harmanpreet could not convert it. But India ultimately held on to the 3-2 lead and earned three factors.
Harmanpreet was proven a yellow card within the fifth minute, and so was Germany’s Tom Grambusch, within the tenth minute.
With the recently-appointed head coach Craig Fulton but to hitch the workforce, David John was on the helm on Friday, a job he’s anticipated to do within the subsequent three matches additionally.
Following their World Cup debacle, India have dropped senior gamers Mandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh and Amit Rohidas, whereas goalkeeper Krishan Pathak additionally missed resulting from his marriage ceremony.
India face Australia on Sunday and Germany once more within the second leg on Monday.
(With PTI Inputs)

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