India goes down fighting
A. Vinod
India, despite putting up a gallant show, was still comprehensively beaten 4-2 by World champion Australia in the final Pool A men’s hockey match of the 20th Commonwealth Games at the Glasgow Hockey Centre here on Tuesday.
The Australians were ravaging as ever as they took a 3-0 lead into 27 minutes of play in the first-half before the Indians came into the picture with an improved display. Drawing the Indian defence out and keeping the long passes flowing, Australia tasted first blood in the 15th minute when Chris Ciriello conquered the Indian custodian, P.R. Sreejesh off a set-piece penalty corner.
Simon Orchard made it 2-0, two minutes later, and Jacob Whetton scored another field goal to put the Aussies in a happy position in the 27th minutes. There were a few chances for India in between but with its frontline making a mess of the chances kept the side struggling until Rupinder Singh drag-flicked into the Australian goal and past Andrew Charter in the last minute of the first half.
The Indians did show more purpose in the second session and were successful in pulling another goal back through Ramandeep Singh in the 49th minute.
However, the Australians put the issue beyond doubt just a minute later as Ciriello found the Indian goal, courtesy a penalty stroke.
Their temperament thus put into test, the Indians did not simply give up as they continued to raid the Australian goal area repeatedly through the final stages of the game, but in vain.