Tokyo, Japan, July 24, 2021: Defender Harmanpreet Singh scored a brace and veteran goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh stood like a wall in the closing minutes as India's men’s hockey team overcame a late surge from New Zealand to eke out a 3-2 victory in its opening Pool A game at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, July 24.
Harmanpreet scored in the 26th and 33rd minutes for world number four India after Rupinder Pal Singh had levelled the score at 1-1 in the 10th minute for the eight-time former champions at the Oi hockey stadium.
New Zealand, ranked eighth in the world, had opened the scoring from a successful penalty corner conversion by Kane Russell in the 6th minute. Stephen Jenness scored in the 43rd minute to reduce the deficit to just one goal at 3-2.
It was all New Zealand in the final few minutes as they pressed hard for the equaliser and, in the process, earned three penalty corners in quick succession, but goalie Sreejesh came to India’s rescue making three brilliant saves to keep the opponents at bay.
With just 24 seconds to go, New Zealand earned another penalty corner but once again the experienced Sreejesh stood firm, executing a full-stretch dive to his right to deny the Kiwis the equaliser.
India will next play mighty Australia on Sunday, July 25. The Manpreet Singh-led Indians are in a tough preliminary round pool with defending Olympic champions Argentina also in the fray. The other two teams are hosts Japan – who beat India 2-1 in the gold medal final at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta – and Spain.
Pool B comprises world champions Belgium, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands and South Africa. The top four from each pool qualify for the quarterfinals.
Indian men’s hockey has a rich history at the Olympic Games having won gold an unprecedented eight times in the past, the last of which came at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
