Hockey / India lose 3-4 to defending champs Australia in hockey Pro League

It was as if two different Indian hockey teams had turned up to face Australia here on Friday. One that lacked fluidity and consistently in the first half and the other that regularly attacked the defending champions, creating and converting opportunities in the second half.

That was the story of a frenetic FIH Pro League contest where the scoreline finally read 4-3 in favour of the visitors despite a brilliant fightback by India.

With only one quarter left, the hosts were down 1-4 thanks to four superbly crafted field goals from Dylan Wotherspoon (6th), Tom Wickham (18th), Lachlan Sharp (41st) and Jacob Anderson (42nd). But rookie Raj Kumar Pal (47th), who also scored India’s first in the 36th minute, converted two minutes into the last quarter and seasoned Rupinder Pal Singh (52nd) brought the world No. 4 team back, sliding a drag-flick to make it 3-4.

In a tense finish, the Manpreet Singh-led outfit earned their fifth and final penalty corner four seconds from the final hooter but Rupinder hit it wide.

“We are disappointed. We came back in the fourth quarter. But we also showed that despite playing poorly, especially in the first half, we can bounce back if we play well,” said Manpreet.

World No.2 Australia, who so far have had a mediocre Pro League, showed their ruthless streak from the start, penetrating India’s defence. Each time India tried their hand at the Australian goal, the defending champions were lightening quick in their counter-attack, which earned them their first chance when Wotherspoon deflected home a Sharp pass from close.

That first goal gave Australia confidence with which they regularly nullified any Indian threat.

Australia kept creating chances which helped when Wickham doubled the visitor’s advantage, tapping home a perfect pass from skipper Eddie Ockenden.

“They scored first which put us under pressure. They created too many chances in the first two quarters and we kept missing ours and made errors,” said Manpreet. “They got a quick start and we struggled to stop them. We knew they would be fast-paced but somehow couldn’t manage to halt them.”

Whatever pep talk chief coach Graham Reid might have given India at half-time seemed to have worked as a much more aggressive India turned up in the second half. India immediately earned their first penalty corner with Rupinder seeing his flick saved by Australia goalkeeper Andrew Charter. However, Raj Kumar volleyed home the rebound with the reverse stick, pulling one back for India.

But Australia sprang back to life after conceding to score two field goals in as many minutes via ‘Player of the Match’ Sharp and Anderson to put the Kookaburras 4-1 ahead by the 42nd minute.

With 15 minutes of play left, the hosts reduced the deficit when Raj Kumar, who debuted against Belgium two weeks ago, scored from a sensational strike from top of the circle. A high-press game resulted in yet another PC as Rupinder converted, sliding a low flick into the goal.