INDIA LOSE TO OZ IN CHAMPIONS TROPHY FINAL
CHAMPIONS TROPHY Goalkeeper Lovell saves three in shootout, denies India once again
BREDA (THE NETHERLANDS):: India suffered a penalty shootout heartbreak in the Hockey Champions Trophy final for the second consecutive time as they lost 1-3 (1-1) to defending champions Australia here on Sunday. Blake Govers put Australia ahead in the 24th minute. India equalised through Vivek Sagar Prasad’s strike in the 43rd minute to end 1-1 at the regulation 60 minutes of play. In the penalty shootout, Australia prevailed thanks to the brilliance of goalkeeper Tyler Lovell, who blocked attempts from Harmanpreet Singh, Sardar Singh and Lalit Upadhyay.
BREDA: The Indian hockey team finished runners-up to Australia for the second time in a row after going down 1-3 in a tense penalty shootout in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday. The two teams were tied 1-1 in regulation time.
Interestingly, in the previous edition too India had lost to Australia in the final via shootout and by the same margin.
Only Manpreet Singh managed to score for India on Sunday in the shootout as Sardar Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and Lalit Upadhyay’s attempts were saved by a valiant Australian goalkeeper Tyler Lovell.
The World No.1 side scored through Aran Zalewski, Daniel Beale and Jeremy Edwards, who kept his calm to convert the fifth and last chance as Australia lifted their 15th Champions Trophy title.
India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh denied Matthew Swann and Tom Craig in the shootout but that was not enough. Sreejesh, who was outstanding throughout the championship, was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
The Indian team, under new coach Harendra Singh, played well to reach the final but would rue the missed opportunity. It was the 37th and last edition of the Champions Trophy which will now be replaced by Hockey Pro League.
The final was a keenly-contested battle. Australia took the lead in the 24th minute through a penalty corner conversion by Blake Govers, but India drew parity in the 42nd minute through a field strike by young Vivek Sagar Prasad.
India fought brilliantly but wasted several penalty corners. Australian defenders did well to stave off drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh.
A 1-1 scoreline was what the teams could manage in regulation time before Australia came out on top in the battle of nerves.
Hosts Netherlands clinched the bronze medal defeating Olympic champions Argentina 2-0 in the play-off.
Belgium beat Pakistan 2-2 (2-1) in the fifth-sixth position play-off.