Goals don’t flood the turf as India and Australia wins by narrow margins

Reduced number of players on the field, wider goal cage in place, an atmosphere built to score goal, more of them, did not live upto the projections, though early to conclude, in the first ever Hockey 9s played here in Perth Hockey stadium in Australia.

First India defeated Malaysians 3-1 only to see second match between Australia and the Malaysians end still narrower at 2-1 score.

It took almost one third of the full match time, that is full ten minutes, for the game to see the first goal, a good gentle gliding of the ball from the first Long Corner that India got. Even as the confusion prevailed who scored the goal, television screen came to the rescue it is Ritu Rani.

Then the gates of goals did not open. There were openings but both sides sat on the chances. One almost felt Malaysians were gaining strength, and they were. Within a minute form the half time – which is just five minute, 50 percent less than the traditional one – a field goal resulted, befitting the trend of the match. (1-1).

At equally spaced timings, India came out with two goals, the second goal for India, obtained by India’s Sushila would nto have resulted but for the goal’s new avtar.

India in the last ten minutes were on the defensive side, yet a goal came three minutes before the full time, that is 30 minutes. Vandana Katariya, whose game improves each match, deflecting from close range.

The match did not yield any penalty corners, or stroke to witness the change of rules in play, but nice to see a long corner being converted.

India certainly goes in to the record book as the first team ever to win the Hockey 9s international, whatever it might mean to many.

If there are any occasion in hockey to look beyond scoreboard, today is one such. Let us consolidate the gains.