Indian Men’s Hockey Team go all the way down to Australia. (X)
Tom Wickham scored a brace, whereas Tim Brand, Joel Rintala and Flynn Ogilvie had been the opposite goal-getters for the winners. India’s lone objective was scored by Gurjant Singh within the forty seventh minute.
The Indian males’s hockey staff was anticipated to place up at the very least an honest struggle however was hammered 1-5 by Australia within the first Test of the five-match sequence on Saturday.
The Australians managed the tempo of the match from begin to end. The Indian staff confirmed some sparks within the ultimate quarter but it surely was too late by then.
Tom Wickham (twentieth, thirty eighth minute) scored a brace, whereas Tim Brand (third), Joel Rintala (thirty seventh) and Flynn Ogilvie (57th) had been the opposite goal-getters for the winners.
India’s lone objective was scored by Gurjant Singh within the forty seventh minute.
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The Kookaburras confirmed constructive intent from the beginning and took the lead as early because the third minute via Brand, who shocked India early with good particular person abilities from the left flank.
He acquired an extended cross from the deep and outfooted Jarmanpreet Singh together with his stick work and pushed the ball previous veteran India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh.
Australia continued to press arduous on the Indian defence and secured their first penalty nook within the eighth minute however couldn’t breach Sreejesh’s defence this time.
Sreejesh made a reflex save together with his prolonged proper leg to disclaim Joel Rintala.
A minute later, an alert Sreejesh used his razor-sharp reflexes to once more hold Rintala out of goal from Australia’s second penalty nook.
India secured their first penalty nook within the tenth minute however didn’t utilise the prospect.
Soon, Jake Whetton’s reverse shot was parried away by Sreejesh.
Australia was at their attacking finest as their strikes outwitted the Indian defence.
The residence staff elevated its lead simply 5 minutes into the second quarter via Wickham, courtesy of some sloppy defending by the Indians.
Australia denied India to settle right into a rhythm with their attacking hockey and relentless stress to enter the midway break with a 2-0 cushion.
The hosts continued in the identical vein after the change of ends as Rintala was in the appropriate place on the proper time to get a neat deflection off Ky Willott’s reverse hit seven minutes into the third quarter.
The Indian defence was caught napping by the ever-attacking Australians as Wickham scored his second of the day with a fierce shot from the appropriate nook previous Sreejesh’s prolonged proper foot.
Down by 4 targets, the Indians confirmed urgency thereafter however lacked concepts as they didn’t create clear-cut probabilities from discipline play.
Twice within the third quarter, India got here near registering targets however on each events, Australia goalkeeper Andrew Charter simply saved the rivals at bay.
Australia continued to play high-press hockey and secured one other penalty nook simply firstly of the fourth quarter however didn’t money in on the chance.
In flip, the Indians made a fast counter-attack and lowered the margin via Gurjant, who scored with a robust strike from the highest of the D after receiving an inch-perfect cross from Mohammed Raheel.
India made some terrific incisive strikes via the mid-field to show the Australian defence within the fourth quarter however didn’t create any scoring probabilities because the Australian defence stood tall.
The Indians earned back-to-back penalty corners within the 51st minute, however on each events, skipper Harmanpreet Singh didn’t get previous Charter in entrance of the Australian objective.
Australia secured one other penalty nook three minutes from the ultimate hooter. Jeremy Hayward’s preliminary flick was saved by second Indian goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak however Ogilvie sounded the board from the rebound to register the comfy win for the hosts.
The two groups will meet once more on Sunday within the second Test of the Perth International Festival of Hockey, thought-about as a preparation for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated news company feed – PTI)
Source: www.news18.com
