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Dragflicker Rupinder Pal Singh scored a brace because the Indian males’s hockey overcame a demoralising defeat within the earlier match to cruise previous Spain 3-0 and register its second win on the Tokyo Olympics right here on Tuesday.
Drubbed 1-7 by Australia of their final match, India produced a spirited efficiency towards world No 9 Spain and scored via Simranjeet Singh (14th minute) and Rupinder Pal Singh (fifteenth and 51st) to document a cushty win of their third Pool A match on the Oi Hockey Stadium.
India, ranked fourth on the planet, had earlier defeated New Zealand 3-2 of their opening fixture. Spain, then again, are but to register a win within the competitors.
Spain drew 1-1 towards Argentina earlier than shedding 3-4 to New Zealand.
The Indians will subsequent play reigning Olympic champions Argentina on Thursday.
For any workforce it’s at all times powerful to get well from a morale-shattering loss inside a day, however India regarded extra organised and sorted towards Spain on Tuesday.
Manpreet Singh’s males performed high-pressure hockey from the phrase go and dominated the possession in preliminary 10 minutes although they didn’t create any actual scoring alternatives.
Within the ninth minute, India got here near breaking the impasse however Simranjeet’s deflection from skipper Manpreet Singh sailed over the objective.
Spain slowly and steadily obtained into the groove and secured their first penalty nook within the twelfth minute however wasted the possibility.
The Indians mounted plenty of assaults within the closing jiffy of the sport and the ploy bore fruit when Spain’s defence was caught off guard by Amit Rohidas’ cross and an unmarked Simranjeet simply tapped the ball into the objective previous Quico Cortes.
The objective rejuvenated India as they secured three back-to-back penalty corners within the closing minute of the primary quarter and from the third set piece Harmanpreet’s flick discovered the physique of a Spanish defender, which resulted in a penalty stroke.
Rupinder Pal Singh stepped up and made no mistake in doubling India’s lead.
Trailing by two targets, the Spaniards pressed the Indian defence exhausting within the second quarter and the play was principally contained in the Indian half.
Spain’s strain techniques earned them three penalty corners within the third quarter — the final one coming simply seconds from the tip following a referral — however the Indian defence held agency to maintain their lead intact.
Skilled India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who had a nightmarish outing towards Australia, had a superb recreation as he confirmed good reflexes to drag off some tremendous saves.
The delicate Indian defence, recognized for succumbing in powerful conditions, by some means managed to absorb the strain put up by the Spaniards.
With a two-goal cushion, the Indians have been fairly content material in simply defending within the fourth and closing quarter as Spain continued to use relentless strain.
However within the 51st minute India managed to search out the web once more once they earned a penalty nook, their fourth of the match, from a counter assault and this time Rupinder was bang on course with a robust low flick to the appropriate of Spanish goalkeeper Cortes.
Down 0-3, Spain did not hand over and continued to assault in numbers whereas the Indians regarded to simply defend.
Within the 53rd minute, Spain secured three consecutive penalty corners however their dragflicker Pau Quemada didn’t breach the Indian back-line led by Sreejesh.
Spain secured one other penalty nook within the closing minutes of the sport however once more Sreejesh denied Quemada to assist India hold a clear sheet. PTI
