An eerie silence had gripped the stadium. A few years ago, Sandeep Singh’s trademark raised arm celebration would have been a call for the crowd to erupt in the stands. But at the Mahindra Stadium, on Dabang Mumbai’s Hockey India League debut, the crowd had been stunned after the defender put the away side, Punjab Warriors, 3-2 up in the last minute of play.
The goal seemed to have sapped the spirit of Mumbai’s players too, as they trudged their way to the halfway line. Not Harmanpreet Singh. He got the ball near the halfway line moments after restart and using all the power he could muster, slapped the ball inside the Punjab ‘D’. His powerful hit through the centre sliced open the defence. On the left, Chinglensana Singh sneaked behind the defenders, lunged forward to control the long pass, and with his second touch, slotted it past former India captain Bharat Chetri in goal.
All of a sudden the crowd found its voice again. Mumbai had salvaged a point, ensuring they do not get off to a losing start.
Eighteen-year-old Harmanpreet’s vision had actually served him well throughout the entire game. He was at the centre of a Mumbai defence that was put under relentless pressure by a powerful Punjab attack. His interceptions were impeccable, as was his tackling. And just as he did in the final minute of play, his passes were exceptional.
He had already set the tone for what would reflect in his own game before the match. Warm-up sessions involved drag-flicks. Tom Boon had a go, but his shots were wayward. Floris Evers too tried his luck, but barely tested Mumbai custodian David Harte. Harmanpreet, who came into the limelight after being named man-of-the-tournament at junior India’s victorious Sultan of Johor Cup campaign, scoring seven of his nine goals through penalty corners, found the back of the net with all his shots.
And it was almost logical that he would break the deadlock by scoring his team’s first goal with a thunderous drag-flick that outwitted FIH goalkeeper of the year Jaap Stockmann.
Trailing by a goal, the Punjab team increased the pressure. But on the few occasions that they did breach Harmanpreet, Harte would see off the threat. They equalised in the second minute of the third quarter through skipper Jamie Dwyer, who shot from a tight angle to beat the Irish custodian. Chinglensana then scored his first of the match to put the home side ahead only for Sandeep’s penalty stroke to equalise.