ERROL D’CRUZ

It was a bridge too far for even comeback kings Germany. Down 0-3, the recently crowned World Cup champions, true to their wont, fought back before going down 2-3 to hosts India at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela, Odisha, in the FIH Pro League on Friday.

It looked as though Germany would keep up their incredible sequence starting with the World Cup quarterfinals in Odisha itself less than two months ago. Trailing 0-2 in each of the business-end matches including the grand finale against Belgium, Germany put paid to England, Australia and Belgium to win their third title, leaving all in shock and awe.

But India held on for dear life. Especially after captain Harmanpreet sent a penalty stroke to the moon in the dying moments of the match instead of sealing the issue by making it 4-2.

India scored through Harmanpreet Singh (30’) and Sukhjeet Singh (31’, 42’). Germany returned fire through Paul-Philipp Kaufmann (44’) and Michel Stuthoff (57’).

The outcome brought India 11 points from 5 matches and sees them in 3^rd position in the nine-team table. Germany are 5th with 8 points from 5 matches. Spain lead with 17 points from 8 matches, Argentina are second with 13 from 12 matches and Great Britain are fourth with 9 from 4 matches. Australia, the third team in the mini tournament, part of the Pro League, are eighth with four points from four matches and play Germany on the morrow.

India were still smarting from a disappointing show in the World Cup where they finished 9^th after losing to New Zealand in a crossover shootout. The hosts also are coping with the fallout from the debacle which caused the exit of Australian head coach Graham Reid. David John, his compatriot stepped into the breach as an interim measure with South African Craig Fulton named Head Coach a few days ago to assume duty in the coming weeks.

India have retained Harmanpreet as captain, but ebullient midfielder Hardik Singh is vice-captain after his World Cup campaign ended with an injury in a rip-roaring pool match against England which ended goalless.

Forwards Mandeep Singh and Akashdeep Singh were not in the team but drag-flicker Jugraj Singh, controversially ignored from the World Cup, made a return. Germany have come to Rourkela with a few changes that left Niklas Wellen, player of the tournament at the World Cup, at home along with ace playmaker Christopher Ruhr. The Germans were also coping with a layoff after the World Cup and it showed in uncharacteristic errors in defence as the team aspired to find their mojo.

India adopted a solid safety-first posture in the first quarter. The defence held firm and it created a platform to catch the Germans on the wrong foot. One such foray almost produced a magical finish by Dilpreet Singh whose instinctive essay from a long aerial almost beat goalkeeper Stadler in the 10^th minute.

Mats Grambush at the other end, just a minute earlier, tested PR Sreejesh, India’s iconic veteran in goal, with a backhander from close range.

Germany were to threaten again through a sequence of four penalty corners but Sreejesh warded off former Argentine international Gonzalo Piellat’s attempt.

Player-of-the-match Sukhjeet then went close to putting India ahead following a counterattack on the dot of quarter time, but the short break arrived with honours even.

There was no denying India the lead, but it came on the dot of half-time through a post-hooter penalty corner. Harmanpreet, who struggled in the World Cup came good, squeezing his drag-flick under the goalkeeper’s outstretched right pad.

A superlative finish by Sukhjeet to Jarmanpreet’s diagonal cross into the circle, with a little help from a faltering defence, put India 2-0 up.

The hosts, watched by a goodly crowd that included Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, rode on a spell of ascendancy, forcing three penalty corners, but a yellow card for dissent saw captain Harmanpreet on the naughty chair. The suspension was partly offset by Martin Zwicker picking up a green card as India sought to preserve their two-goal cushion.

Sukhjeet then capped a piece of spectacular action initiated by Manpreet Singh who found Selvam Karthi in the circle. The youngster controlled the bouncing ball and slipped it to Sukhjeet who finished with aplomb.

Germany, clutching at straws, raised visions of another famous comeback when Kaufmann slammed home after Elian Maskour hit the post following good carrying of the ball by Malte Hellwig as the third quarter drew to a close.

With three minutes of the match remaining and with Germany withdrawing their goalkeeper, India’s citadel struggled to weather the storm. Hannes Muller found Michel Struthoff who beat Rajbhar Pawan in goal to bring on the jitterbugs in the Indian camp.

As the Germans circulated the ball adroitly to pierce the Indian defence, a turnover led to a penalty stroke after the ball struck Zwicker’s leg in front of an unguarded goal. Harmanpreet, however, who missed such an award against Spain in the World Cup opener, sent the spheroid high and wide and left his team with anxious seconds to ward off Germany’s frantic efforts as the clock ticked away.