fih hockey pro league Indian men’s hockey team impresses 3-2 win against world champions Germany fih hockey pro league

Rourkela: Striker Sukhjit Singh scored twice in the second half as India upset world champions Germany 3-2 in their opening match of the FIH Pro League Hockey on Friday. It was India’s first match after a disappointing World Cup campaign. Several players were dropped from the squad after India’s World Cup pre-quarterfinal exit in January but 26-year-old Sukhjeet was saved, scoring field goals in the 31st and 42nd minutes.

Captain Harmanpreet Singh, the joint top-scorer in the tournament so far, gave the team the lead by converting a penalty corner in the 30th minute at the Birsa Munda Stadium. Harmanpreet could not perform well in Bhubaneswar and the World Cup held here. India took a 3-0 lead in the 42nd minute before Paul Philipp Kaufmann and Michael Struthoff scored for Germany in the 44th and 57th minutes respectively. Germany’s team, which featured many players from the World Cup winning team, struggled to score from penalty corners.

Germany got six penalty corners while India got four penalty corners. The visitors started brightly and earned five consecutive penalty corners in the 10th minute but India kept their composure and defended well in all of them. Striker Abhishek’s effort in the circle at the end of the second quarter gave India the momentum they were looking for. Earlier, efforts from striker Gurjant Singh and Dilpreet Singh were saved by Germany goalkeeper Alexander Stadler. Just before half-time, the home side earned their first penalty corner and Harmanpreet’s brilliant effort gave her side a 1-0 lead.

Harmanpreet was retained as captain despite the sacking of head coach Graham Reid after the World Cup. With this lead, India started aggressively in the third quarter. Sukhjit scored India’s second goal in the 31st minute after a brilliant pass by Germanpreet Singh. Then after 11 minutes, Sukhjit scored again. Sukhjeet scored his second goal of the match after talented youngster S Karthi assisted Manpreet Singh on a long pass. India kept the German attack away after this. But the visitors managed to score at the end of the third quarter thanks to Paul Philippe.

In the final moments of the match, India played a great defensive game, with Germany replacing their goalkeeper and adding an extra player to their attack. Germany scored their second goal two minutes from the end of the match thanks to Michael, who was assisted by Hannes Müller. India were awarded a penalty stroke in the closing moments of the match but Harmanpreet was unable to convert it, giving India three points in a 3–2 victory. India will now face Australia on Sunday while the second leg match against Germany will be held on Monday.

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