The Indian men’s hockey team beat Australia with a 3-2 victory in their final Pool B match, marking their first win against the Kookaburras in 52 years at the Paris Olympics 2024, .
This historic achievement, their first since the 1972 Munich Olympics, saw India climb to the second spot in Pool B, with 10 points from five matches, trailing only Belgium.
Australia, the Tokyo 2020 silver medallists, ended up in third place.
The match, held at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium, was filled with thrilling moments and exceptional performances. India took an early lead in the first quarter with Abhishek scoring in the 12th minute, followed swiftly by a penalty corner conversion from skipper Harmanpreet Singh in the 13th minute.
Australia’s Thomas Craig responded in the 25th minute, converting a penalty corner to bring his team back into contention.
Harmanpreet Singh extended India’s lead in the 32nd minute with his second goal of the match, bringing his tournament tally to six goals, equalling his score from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Despite a late penalty conversion by Australia’s Blake Govers in the 55th minute, India maintained their lead to secure a memorable victory. Goalkeeper PR Sreejesh also played a crucial role with several key saves, ensuring India stayed ahead.
Reflecting on the match, Harmanpreet Singh said,
“I think we ticked off all the right boxes today,” Harmanpreet said. “Starting the way we did and then some brilliant saves by PR Sreejesh ensured we stayed ahead in the game. It is a special win ahead of the quarter-finals. It gives us a lot of confidence.”
India’s victory sets up a quarter-final clash with three-time champions Great Britain on Sunday. As bronze medallists from Tokyo 2020, India will aim to continue their strong performance in Paris.
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