Muristek
Bhubaneswar, April 2
India held their nerve to beat England 3-2 in the penalty shootout to earn a bonus point after their FIH Pro League match had ended in a 3-3 draw in regulation time.
In the shootout, India won after players from both teams missed several opportunities. With the win, India pocketed two points, including a bonus point, while England gained one point.
The two teams will lock horns against each other again tomorrow in the second match of the tie.
India are now at the top of the Pro League points table with 18 points from nine matches, though second-placed Germany have played one match fewer for their 17 points while the Netherlands have 16 points from only six matches. India looked set to win 3-2 in regulation time, too, but a penalty stroke converted by Sam Ward in the 60th minute sent the tie into the penalty shootout.
Come-from-behind
India's goals in regulation time were scored by Abhishek (14th minute), Shamsher Singh (27th) and Harmanpreet Singh (52nd), while England sounded the board through Nicholas Bandurak (8th, 28th) and Sam Ward (60th).
England started the match on a positive note, taking the lead in the eighth minute off a penalty corner conversion by Bandurak. Even though they were not playing at their best, India drew level six minutes later through Abhishek, who scored with a fierce reverse-hit after receiving a pass from Shamsher. India then took the lead in the 27th minute through Shamsher's field strike. But the joy was shot-lived as England drew level a minute later.
It was a scrappy first half from both the teams, more so from the Indians as they failed to secure a single penalty corner as against England's three. — PTI
England continued to play positively after the change of ends and secured a penalty corner soon but veteran India custodian PR Sreejesh made a fine save to keep the scores level. — PTI
Tie vs Germany on April 14-15
New Delhi: The FIH men's Pro League double-header between India and Germany, which was postponed after a Covid outbreak in the visitors' camp last month, was today rescheduled to April 14 and 15.