BHARAT GIVES INDIA ITS FIRST VICTORY OVER MALAYSIA

Prabhjot Singh

It was Bharat who gave India its first ever win over Malaysia in the Commonwealth games Hockey competition for men. In the last pulsating match played before a nearly half-filled historic Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium, the hosts romped home with a 67th minute goal scored by Bharat Chitkara.

At half time both teams were locked 2-2. It was the third encounter between the two Asian hockey giants. In 1998, Malaysia, as hosts had beaten India 1-0 in the semi-finals while in the 2006 edition of the Games, the two teams had played a 1-1 draw. India could not have asked for a better start in a competition in which they have Pakistan and Australia in their pool. Led by mercurial Rajpal Singh, India displayed much better and cohesive hockey in the second half after a superb goal in the last minute by drag flicker Sandeep Singh to make team break for the lemon break at par.

If Malaysia enjoyed the upper hand in the first half it was primarily because of its stragey of tight marking besides dispossessing Indians quickly. Enjoying better ball control, the Malaysians took the lead twice but each time they could not retain it for long.

If the first goal for them came through a brilliant anticipation and utilisation of opportunity by Muhammad Razie Rahim who found the net through a reverse hit, the second was virtually a gift as an unmarked Azlan Misron picked a free ball from the top of the circle and beat Chhetri with a neat flick that soared into the roof of the Indian goal. For India, first two goals came via penalty corners. First it was Mahadik, who in the absence of Sandeep Singh, made no mistake with the second award after India had fumbled with the first award that came four minutes earlier.

And when Misron scored in the 34th minute, India went all out and forced its third penalty corner that saw Sandeep, who had just come in, to give the home team a much deserved equaliser. Second half certainly belonged to India. Though India could not score till 66th minute, buts its dominance and superiority was quiet evident. What the home team missed was a game maker at the centre. And when sardara Singh shifted to the role of centre-half, result came immediately. It was sardar Singh who paved way for Bharat to give India its third and match clinching goal.

Besides Sardara, even Rajpal, young Dharamvir and midfielder Gurbaj Singh played their heart outs in a game that had the home team supporters cheering all good moves.