S2H Team
India started and ended their FIH Pro League match against Spain on Monday on a high.
Drawing first blood in the first minute through Jarmanpreet Singh and winning a bonus point from a victory in a sudden-death shootout with goalkeeping icon Sreejesh’s save, the hosts thrilled the partisan crowd that thronged the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela.
The absorbing contest ended 2-2 at the end of regulation time after which the set of five shootouts ended remarkably with a 100 percent success at 5-5 before the hosts clinched the issue in the third round of sudden-death 8-7.
The hockey loyalists here in this Odisha district of Sundergarh, a hub of the sport, have had their fill, one would assume. On Sunday the Indian women also grabbed a bonus point via the shootout against the USA with goalkeeper Savita the player of the match. Today, it was Abhishek who walked off with the accolade for scoring in open play and then doubling up to convert both shootout attempts.
The encounter between the fourth-ranked Indians and the eight-ranked Spanish held intrigue. The first meeting in Bhubaneswar ended 4-1 in India’s favour but Spain have gone from strength to strength after that shaky start.
Far from being a cagey affair, it developed into an absorbing contest with players on either side displaying customary flair and skill albeit of varying styles. India, looking ominous of late with the long aerial, froze the opponents when Jarmanpreet received the projectile on the right side of the circle and blasted the spheroid past Luis Calzado from an acute angle to draw first blood.
Spain, coached by the wily Max Caldas of Argentina, however, were quick to respond and amid a hushed stadium just three minutes into the match, Jose Basterra sent a drag-flick past Krishan Pathak’s outstretched left pad from Spain’s first penalty corner.
That set the tone for a rousing encounter but save a wasted penalty corner by India which Harmanpreet Singh flicked wide, end-to-end action did not produce goalmouth action till the last minute of the first quarter.
Marc Millares on the right pulled the ball back from the goalline after a sublime run on the right for Borja Lacalle to lunge forward and lift the ball into the net over Pathak. Spain’s man-man marking stifled much of India’s fluidity to attack and it built a platform to take control of the game with halftime approaching.
The Spanish could rue wasted opportunities to go further ahead during this period of ascendancy but much credit must go to Sreejesh for a customary performance under the bar. He staved off danger from a PC in the 24th minute and, as India’s game turned a tad shabby, the Spanish went close again from another set piece which Jarmanpreet saved on the line.
Halftime arrived with Spain wasting two more penalty corners and the trend continued into the third quarter when Pathak brought off a save during another award. India found their bearings as the quarter progressed and a series of three penalty corners followed.
Following an umpire’s referral, India were awarded their fourth PC. After the slip ball by Harmanpreet led to a rebound off Calzado’s pads, Abhijit fired home to the boards to make it 2-2 in the 35th minute.
The match oscillated between attrition and attacking intent. India wasted another PC from which Spain launched a lightning counterattack that ended with Basterra blasting wide with Pathak at his mercy.
Spain held sway in the early moments of the final quarter but Sreejesh effected a double save to keep his goal intact. His opposite number Rafael Revilla, stepping in for Calzado, came to his team’s rescue shortly later and it turned into a duel between keepers when the Indian icon stood tall at another PC award.
Spain kept knocking on the door and a series of penalty corners followed — taking their tally to six, the same as India’s — but Sanjay blocked on the line to ensure parity persisted. India endured a double green card to Jugraj during the quarter but it didn’t prevent them going forward for the winner.
Akashdeep appeared to have sealed the match for India following a penalty corner but a referral revealed it struck his foot and the goal was disallowed.
There was no shortage of drama as the shootout beckoned. A scuffle, probably a product of a pulsating contest, marred the dying moments. Things however cooled off as fast as they went out of control and the teams entered the shootout in good spirits.
Lalit Kumar Upadhay, Sukhjeet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, and Abhishek were successful in both their attempts. So were Spain’s Basterra, Jordi Bonastre, Marc Reyne and Marc Recassens. Miralles, the captain who excelled in open play, however, failed with his second attempt after Sreejesh deflected the ball to safety and sealed a bonus point for his country.
The Netherlands head the nine-nation table with 18 points from nine matches. Australia are second (12/4), Argentina third (11/7) and India fourth (10/5). Spain are seventh with four points from five matches and Ireland, the other team here in Rourkela, are ninth and last with no points from five. Belgium, Germany, Argentina and Great Britain are the other nations in the fray.
The Irish, making their league debut, went down to India 0-1 on Saturday and put in another fighting performance earlier in the day when they lost 1-2 to the Dutch despite taking the lead.
After a rest day on Tuesday, action resumes here on Wednesday with Spain playing Australia at 1730 IST and India squaring up to the Netherlands at 1930 IST.