AZLAN SHAH HOCKEY Australia prove too hot for India

Ipoh (Malaysia), May 2: India put up a spirited show, squandering an early lead to go down 1-3 to defending champions Australia in a league match of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament, here on Tuesday.

Later, Great Britain posted a facile 1-0 victory over hosts Malaysia to move into the second spot in the standing ladder.

After managing to hold the world champions in first quarter, India went ahead in the 25th minute through a field goal from Harmanpreet Singh. But Australia pumped in three field goals to maintain their position atop the round-robin league standings.

Eddie Ockenden (30th minute), Tom Craig (34th) and Tom Wickham (51st) showed why Australia are one of the most feared teams in the world through their outstanding goals as the Indian challenge faded in the last quarter.

Nine-time winners of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Australia now have seven points from three outings, while last year’s runner-up India are on four points from three.

Australia went into attack mode from the start, forcing the first penalty corner in the opening minute, but the Indian defenders rushed out to close the angle.

Goalkeeper Sreejesh P.R. blocked a deflection by Craig in the seventh minute before the Indians went into attacking mode.

Akashdeep Singh fed a short pass to Mandeep Singh in the circle in the eighth minute, but he was tightly marked and failed to create any space.

India forced their second penalty corner a minute later but Rupinderpal Singh’s rising flick was palmed back into play by Australia custodian Tyler Lovell.

Soon after Sreejesh limped off the pitch, injured while diving for a long diagonal ball into the circle. He was replaced by Akash Chikte in goal in the 13th minute.

Both sides had a penalty corner reversed on video referral three minutes into the second quarter.

Sardar Singh then created an opening for India in the 23rd minute through a fine run down the centre, beating two defenders to move into the scoring circle and then beating a third with his square pass to Akashdeep, who could not control his reverse shot and the ball went high and wide.

India broke the deadlock to take the lead in the 26th minute when Harmanpreet scored.

— PTI