Australia beat India 3-1 in Azlan Shah cup

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

After managing to hold the world champions in the first quarter, India took the lead in the 25th minute through a field goal from Harmanpreet Singh.

But Australia pumped in three field goals to maintain their position atop the roundrobin league standings.

Most feared teams

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 field 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 after three matches.

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

Penalty corner

Craig’s deflection on Dylan Wotherspoon’s cross in the third minute went wide of the mark before India earned a penalty corner two minutes later.

The push was neatly stopped, but Harmanpreet could not gather the ball as he stepped into the drag-flick motion.

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