INDIA END LOSING STREAK AGAINST AUSTRALIA, WIN THIRD GAME 4-3

ADELAIDE: A fighting India scored a last minute goal to stun world number one side Australia 4-3 in the third hockey Test and notch up their first win in 13 matches here on Wednesday.

It was a rare win for India against Australia, who had thrashed them 7-0 in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games final earlier this year. The famous win also kept the five- match series alive with Australia leading 2-1. India had lost 4-5 and 4-7 in the first two Tests.

The fourth match will be played here on Saturday and the final one on Sunday. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh (12th minute), Abhishek (47th), Shamsher Singh (57th) and Akashdeep Singh (60th) scored for India. Australia’s goals came from the sticks of Jack Welch ( 25th), skipper Aran Zalewski (32nd) and Nathan Ephraums (59th).

Both the teams started on a patient note, trying to keep their defence intact while looking for counter-attacks.

Australia had the first chance in the seventh minute. It was a scramble in front of the India goal but Krishan Bahadur Pathak denied the hosts with some desperate goalkeeping. India took the lead in the 12th minute from a penalty corner through skipper Harmanpreet, who went for a placement rather than brute power.

He placed the ball perfectly to the right of Australia goalkeeper Johan Durst. Young Sukhjeet Singh was then denied by the post after he set up the opportunity with nice 3D skills. In the 20th minute, PR Sreejesh denied Australia as he was alert at the near post to keep out a reverse hit.

Minutes later, Sreejesh made a triple save from a penalty corner before Surender Kumar kept the ball out. Australia drew level in the 25th minute when Welch scored his third of the series, glancing in Tim Howard’s searching ball.