True to its status of defending champions, India churned out another of a Champagnee stuff today in the Sultan of Johor Cup, putting out a historic 6-2 win over Austrlian colts
India will now take on Great Britain, whom it lost 0-2 in the league, in the final tomorrow.
Indian defender Harmanpreet set the tenor of the day early in the proceedings with an impeccable conversion of India’s first penalty corner in the very fifth minute. Then he converted a stroke in the 27th minute before giving India another goal, India’s last, through penalty corner in the 44th minute.
With his 4th minute goal, Harmanpreet completed his hattrick, his second in the tournament after the one against Malaysia.
Indian team led by Harjeet Singh and coach Harendra Singh continues to maintain its form displayed so far in the Johor Cup, with a commendable 5-1 lead at halftime.
Parvinder Singh (9th min), Simranjeet Singh in the 19th min and Pawan Kumar in the 23rd minute complete the Indian scorecard.
Bradan Horner struck a brace for hapless Australia in the 24th and 64th minutes, both thro penalty corners.
India normally has good outing against Australia in the Colts category. It defeated Australia 2-0 in 2002 for instant, however 6-2 is a big victory.
Defending champions India started the campaign rather sluggishly with a narrow margin 2-1 win over fighting NEw Zealand, then went down 0-2 to Great Britain. The team swung back into form with a fluent 5-1 win over arch rivals Pakistan, which set the tenor of the other matches the way it went.
Despite leading 2-0 at half time, Malaysia nullified both goals, but India did not lose its resilence, struck a brace to post a 4-2 victory in the penultimate match.
Today was all the more a great victory against Australia.