India crush France, set up Spain date
The Indian men’s hockey team finally tasted success in the FIH World League Round 3 — a qualifying event for the 2014 World Cup — when they defeated lower-ranked France 6-2 to qualify for the fifth-sixth position play-off match, here on Friday.
The 11th-ranked Indians, without a win before this game, scored three goals apiece in both halves of their first classification game against France, who are placed six rungs behind them.
India’s goals came from the sticks of Akashdeep Singh (13th minute), vice-captain V.R. Raghunath (27th), S.V. Sunil (33rd), captain Sardar Singh (42nd) and Mandeep Singh (56th, 69th).
For France, Hugo Genestet scored from a field effort in the third minute while their second goal came from a penalty corner by Guillaume Deront in the final minute of the game.
India will now play the seventh-ranked Spain in the fifth-sixth place play-off game on Sunday. Earlier, Spain eked out a 1-0 win over Ireland in another classification match.
Contrary to the result, the Frenchmen stunned India when Genestet scored a field goal early into the match.
The fragile Indian defence was once again at the receiving end and it could have been worse for Michael Nobbs’ boys had France converted two penalty corners that came their way early in the first half.
Rattled by France’s early onslaught, the Indians got their act together soon and drew parity when Akashdeep scored from a rebound.
India doubled their lead in the 27th minute through Raghunath who converted the team’s first penalty corner, before Sunil made it 3-1 six minutes later after combining well with Chinglensana Singh from the right flank.
After the change of ends, Sardar extended India’s lead. Young striker Mandeep scored his first goal of the day in the 56th minute. Mandeep was yet again in thick of things in the penultimate minute, gently pushing in Sunil’s diagonal cross from close range.
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