Tribune: Red hot India fry French
Drag-flicker Gurjinder scores a brace in India’s 4-1 win
Wattignies (France), August 5
Drag-flicker Gurjinder Singh converted two penalty corners as India defeated hosts France 4-1 in the second match of the Europe tour here today.
Gurjinder (14th minute, 44th) scored twice while Mohammad Amir Khan (30th) and Rupinder Pal Singh (52nd) found the net once for India.
For the hosts, Gaspard Baumgarten scored the lone goal in the 21st minute.
India had defeated France 2-0 in their opening match of the tour.
India went for goals from the onset and opened the scoring in the 14th minute through a penalty corner conversion from Gurjinder.
But France drew level in the second quarter when Baumgarten scored a field goal in the 21st minute.
Thereafter, France had a great chance to take the lead from a penalty corner but Kothajit Singh made a goal-line save.
India attacked from both the flanks and in the process found their second goal when Amir scored from a rebound after the initial try from the penalty corner was saved.
In the third quarter, Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh stood like a rock to thwart a couple of efforts from the Frenchmen.
Gurjinder scored his second in the 44th from another set-piece to make the scoreline 3-1 in favour of India.
India continued to show their supremacy and scored their fourth goal through another penalty corner conversion, this time from the stick of Rupinder in the 52nd minute.
India now travel to Spain to play their next match at Sant Cugat del Valles on August 10. — PTI