Closing woes hurt India again, nullify Akashdeep’s hattrick as Australia win hockey series opener

On any other day, against a different opponent, Akashdeep Singh’s hat-trick would probably have been enough to secure victory. But Australia are not just ordinary opponents. Apart from being the world’s No. 1 side, they are a constant thorn for India, the Tokyo bronze medallists. Thrice the Aussies took the lead with India coming back into the match with Akashdeep’s hat-trick and a penalty corner flick from Harmanpreet Singh. With five seconds left in the match, Australia had two PCs with the 8th and last being powered in by Blake Govers, the match-winner coming after the clock had been stopped.

It was still a huge improvement from the Indians after being hammered 7-0 in their last match against Australia in the Commonwealth Games final.

Akashdeep Singh (10th, 27th, 59th) scored thrice while skipper Harmanpreet Singh (31st) converted a penalty corner for India. Australia’s goals were scored by Lachlan Sharp (5th), Nathan Ephraums (21st), Tom Craig (41st) and Blake Govers (57th, 60th).

The second match of the series will be played on Sunday.

It was Australia who took the lead as early as in the fifth minute with Sharp slotting home past India custodian PR Sreejesh with his very first touch of the match. It came off a tremendous steal from Tom Craig who put the through ball for Sharp.

Akashdeep Singh equalised for India in the 11th minute after Hardik Singh made a wonderful interception to create the opportunity.

Six minutes into the second quarter, Australia restored their lead, courtesy poor defending from the Indians as they failed to clear a cross and Ephraums got a smart deflection to put the ball into the net.

Akashdeep’s fierce reverse hit in the 27th minute levelled the scores. Just at the stroke of half-time, Australia got a penalty corner, but India’s second goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak saved.

Harmanpreet gave India the lead for the first time in the match, scoring from a penalty corner The Indians then secured back-to-back penalty corners but couldn’t score. In the 41st minute, the Kookaburras secured another penalty corner and Craig scored from a rebound after Sreejesh saved the initial drag-flick.

India were error-prone in the last five minutes as Jarmanpreet Singh got an unnecessary green card as India played with ten on the pitch. Australia took advantage of the situation and secured another penalty corner which was converted by Govers with a powerful flick.

But Akashdeep levelled the scores a minute from the final hooter, scoring from a goalmouth melee.

Yet again poor defending from the Indians was punished by Australia as they earned two PCs with Govers getting the match-winner with the overall eighth PC as the home team took a 1-0 lead in the series.

Speaking post-match, Indian coach Graham Reid said: “It was a disappointing finish to what was probably a pretty good performance. We let ourselves down at certain stages specifically in two quarters but I think we came back well only to unfortunately hand it back to them (Australia) at the end. That’s something we have to get better at now.”