Fleet-footed forwards enthrall in the 7-4 Indian win

Two out of two from penalty corner expert Sandeep Singh, a mesmerizing brace from SV Sunil, equally enchanting freehit deflection by Tushar combined together to get India a laborious 7-4 victory over fighting South Africa in the Champions Challenge Cup. Its India’s second match, first win after drawing Belgium 3-3 yesterday.

The second half saw eight goals generated. Africans wore out after making a fight with 4-4 scoreline. Indians individual brilliance settled the issue thereafter.

Thanks to Indian goalie PR Sreejesh India could contain the Africans where Haley was wrecking havoc each time he got the ball.

South Africa was off to a brilliant start with an immaculate conversion of its first penalty corner, this 10th minute goal put India under tremendous pressure. A speeding African sent the ball into the circle, but harried Raghunath took it on his feet close inside the top of circle to gift this penalty corner. Africans exchanged twice before the third player, Reid Ross, sendin the ball into the cage to the left of goalie Sreejesh.

India also replied in style, making use of its first penalty corner. There was no diamond passes, but a straight one off Sardar singh’s push. SV Sunil worked on the right flank to get India this penalty corner.

In a spurt of speed, Shivender and Sarwanjit rand in tandem, keeping the otherwise hardworked defence on poor feet; the former hit at the quickly- charged goalie. It got rebound, which Sarwanjit Singh trapped and whacked with a forehand shot that sent the ball into the empty net (2-1).

After wearing out some good attacks of the hosts, Indians came alive. It was today’s captain Tushar who sprinted into the circle from the left flank and close on the sidelines put on the foot of a defender to earn the second penalty corner.

Sandeep Singh again showed his class, now with a high flick that whistled past the goal to the right top corner of the cage (3-1).

Earlier, Africa also goat penalty corner, but Sreejesh rose to the occasion.
Soon after the lemon time, Africa got a loose ball in the circle, a forward also got a rebound off the goalie, but Gurbaj Singh — played after missing out three international matches on account of Busselton Batle, made a goaline save.

But a minute later, Harper effected a slap-shot making use of sloppy defence (3-2) to narrow the lead.

Morris Jones came close to further level the score; his diving push just came under the grab of Sreejesh in the centre of the circle.
The tense moments were seen off, and it was to the credit of Tushar and sardar that India even went up.

Facing Sardar, despite surrounded by three defenders, Tushar neatly deflected a 25-yard push into the net (4-2) in the 32nd minute. v
Gurbaj Singh had moments of luck when his follow through near the flag area hit a forward on face. Gurbaj did not control his follow through and did not connect the ball too.
A minute later, Da Garcia connected a cross from near the baseline, he was waiting for it to the right of goalie, and deflected (4-3) in the 47th minute.

Two minutes later, Timorty Timmond gave another life to Africa. The Indian defense was cracking, and he made use of it. He dived to the middle of the circle, and managed to deflect the ball into the cage even as Sreejesh was trying to block with a dive (4-4).

It was an entertaining hcokey in the early part of second half, four goals coming in the first 15 minutes.

Shivender messed up his forehand shot, it went wide, off a feed from Sarwanjit Singh.
He was immediately substituted, but India had to survive a near penalty corner conversion in the 53rd minute.

SV Sunil made a solo after snatching the ball from near Indian circle, ran in the middle of the field, to the the right flank and drawing goalie from the cage, hit strongly to his left to give India another chance to win the game (5-4).

In the 54th minute, Africa got another penalty corner but Sreejesh was upto the mark, leaving Sunil to launch another run down to the rival’s circle.
In the 62nd minute Haley hit the foot of Rupinder to get the team’s fifth short corner, which was charged out by the same defender.

Shivender was all alone with only goalie to negotiate, but the goalie tripped him, which led to a stroke which Rupinder easily converted to the right of the cage (6-4) in the 65th minute.
Two minutes before the hooter, Rupinder Pal took India’s third penalty corner, it bounced off goalie, but Sunil hit the high ball inside (7-4).