Bhubaneswar, Feb 19: The Indian men’s hockey team dished out a much improved performance to beat world champions Germany 1-0 and avenge its first leg defeat in the FIH Pro League here on Wednesday.
Germany had defeated India 4-1 on Tuesday.
Gurjant Singh scored the lone goal of the match in the fourth minute from a field effort at the Kalinga Stadium.
There was marked improvement from India in every aspect of the game, especially after their thrashing on Tuesday.
The Indians started on the front foot and looked more purposeful and that showed in their game.
The hosts dominated for most part of the match, except the fourth quarter when Germany attacked in numbers in their bid to draw parity.
But the Indian defence produced a resolute performance to thwart Germany’s offensive forays.
Germany secured five of their total seven penalty corners in the final quarter but the Indian defence stood tall.
India, on the other hand, had just two penalty corner and they wasted both.
India played high press hockey from the onset that made Germany uncomfortable. The hosts took the slightest of chances to attack inside the German half.
Just 47 seconds left in the first quarter, Germany secured their first penalty corner but Gonzalo Peillat’s flick went wide.
In the 21st minute, Shilanand Lakra’s strike from the top of the circle was saved by German goalkeeper Alexander Stadler.
In the 29th minute, India secured two back-to-back penalty corners but faltered on both the occasions.
The Indians continued in the same vein in the second quarter, putting constant pressure on the German defence but failed to create any real goal scoring chances.
The Germans, on the other hand, were content to sit back and defend. They mostly relied on counterattacks to unsettle the Indians, but to no avail. India went into the half-way break with a slender 1-0 lead.
After the change of ends, it was a close tussle as both the sides fought tooth and nail for dominance.
Trailing by a goal, the Germans came all out attacking in the final quarter and secured as many as five penalty corners in the process but the visitors failed to breach the resolute Indian defence.
With this win, India are now placed seventh in the FIH Pro League standings with six points from four matches, while Germany are place fifth with seven points from six games.
India will next take on Ireland here on Friday. (PTI)
