Playing first time here in Tokyo, Simranjeet Singh added verve to the struggling Indian forwardline with a neat deflection goal early in the match against Spain to set India on a victory course. His 14th minute goals was followed by Rupinder Pal Singh’s stroke conversion to end the first quarter 2-0. Its a dream start for team with two goals in two successive minutes. Spain did not recover the from early loses, though made huge effort, even earning as many as seven penalty corers compared to four by the Indians. Rupinder Pal converted the fourth to give India a 3-0 lead which survived till the end.
Narinder Dhruv Batra, the FIH president, Juan Antonio Samaranch Salisachs, the IOC member from Spain, and Fumigo Ogura, the AHF President, and Thierry Weil, the CEO of FIH also witnessed the Indian resurgence on the South Pitch. It was drizzling and windy morning, but the Indians with their opportunistic game, warmed the hearts of everyone.
Its second win for India in three matches. Coming as it may after the Australian humiliation, the team has woken up to the task and stay counted in Tokyo. Two more matches await India, one in the form of defending champions Argentina and the other and last in the pool Japan. If India can win these two matches, it has a chance to be second in the pool, as things stand now.
India’s Spain Success: Spain took 16 shots at goal, scored nil; India 3 out of 10. Spain got 7 PCs not allowed score even once, India got 4 converted 1. Spain held ball for 52 minutes against India’s 48. Amit played his 100th match while it was 200th for Birendra Lakra.
India got their Olympic men’s hockey campaign back on track after a devastating loss to Australia with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Spain in Pool A at the Oi stadium in Tokyo on Monday.
Ruperinder Pal Singh scored twice, one with a penalty stroke and the other with his trademark drag flick, after Simranjeet Singh, coming in for Gurjant Singh, gave India the lead in the first quarter.
India now have six points from two wins and a defeat and must fancy their chances of making the quarterfinals from the six-team pool with matches against Argentina and Japan to come.
The result also places India at second spot in the pool after freewheeling Australia who beat Argentina 5-2 in the early match.
Goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has been walling the Indian team in Tokyo
Manpreet Singh’s team must be credited for retaining composure against the Spanish who controlled the game for long spells in a quest to eke out their first win after a draw and a loss.
They did well to quell the threat of Spain’s drag-flicking threat in the form of the veteran Pau Quemada and the penalty-corner defence, including iconic goalkeeper Sreejesh, did their bit in thwarting danger at seven such awards.
At the other end of the pitch, the penalty corner battery worked well with two yielding goals – one from an ensuing penalty stroke.
After Spain all but scored from their first penalty corner, thanks to Sreejesh’s timely stretched left foot, India drew first blood. A seemingly innocuous sideline hit by Amit Rohidas eluded the Spanish defence and found Simranjeet who made no mistake in the 14th minute.
With time running out for the first-quarter hooter, the timing of the goal was telling but a penalty corner that came India’s way moments later then proved devastating for Spain.
Rupinder did the damage, first forcing the stroke with a power-packed flick that hit the left postman off experienced goalkeeper Quico Cortes and the tall drag-flicker was presented a chance to get his name on the score sheet.
A flick to Cortes’ left put India 2-0 up and give India a huge advantage going into the second quarter.
Spain, three time silver medallists, made a concerted effort to get back in the game and hogged possession for considerable periods during which the ball remained within the attacking 23m area.
Two penalty corners to the Red Sticks in this period found the “wall like” figure in Sreejesh.
India braced themselves for the crucial third quarter but the resolute Spanish were blunted by a yellow card to captain Miguel Delas who paid for a faulty player count as per the rules. Spain continued to dominate possession but there was no mistaking Indian resolve and composure.
A critical moment, however, arrived a nano second before the three-quarter hooter when a Spanish referral for a penalty corner was upheld. But with no change in the scoreline, India looked good to preserve their lead even as Spain continued to hold the edge on possession in the final quarter.
The Indian defence, so badly mauled by Australia in a 1-7 reverse on Sunday, retained structure and when a fourth penalty corner arrived for the team in blue with nine minutes to go, it looked ominous for the Spanish.
Surley enough, Rupinder unleashed a tremendous drag-flick to put the match to bed and even though the Red Sticks continued to threaten in a quest for a goal, India never looked like surrendering their stranglehold.
Three more penalty corners came Spain’s way but the defence held sway with Sreejesh making his presence felt at the sixth award.