The Asian Age

New Delhi

Aug. 13: Spain pulled off a late winner to beat India 5-4 in the final hockey test at Terrassa, Spain, on Thursday night. The visitors came back from a 1-4 deficit to level scores but Albert Sala’s 70th minute strike crushed their hopes, according to information received here.

The Spanish goal-scorers were Xavi Ribas (8th), Eduard Tabau (12th), David Alegre (25th), Alex Fabregas (27th) and Sala (70th min), while Sardar Singh (28th), Vikram Pillay (54th & 57th) and Sandeep Singh (66th min) scored for India.

India had received a 2-8 mauling at the hands of Spain in the first test before the visitors pulled one back by winning the second match — a truncated friendly of 20 minutes each half — by a solitary goal.

The hosts began aggressively with constant raids on the Indian defence. Ribas made no mistake in the eight minute as he sank one low to the left of goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza. The nervous Indians soon conceded another soft goal as Tabau breached the defence in the 12th minute.

Spain increased the lead after encashing on a counter-attack that won them their second of four penalty corners. Alegre converted from an indirect set piece. India came back forcefully with well co-ordinated onslaughts after the change of ends.