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The Indian men's hockey team staved off a determined challenge from Spain during the second leg of their FIH Pro League matches to register a 2-2 draw in regulation time. The home side then picked up a bonus point by winning the shootout by a 3-1 margin.
Both Spain and India thus finished the FIH Pro League's first mini-tournament with eight points each from four games, but Graham Reid's side are perched atop of the FIH Pro League points table thanks to a superior goal difference.
New Zealand, who failed to win any of their matches, did manage to amass two points after defeating Spain in a shootout during the second leg.
Max Caldas' team, who failed to convert a single shootout against the Black Sticks, fared poorly against the home side also in the tie-breaker. But they did enough to expose several chinks in the Indian team's armor ahead of the World Cup.
Let's take a look at three takeaways from the India-Spain clash in the FIH Pro League at the Kalinga Stadium.
#3 Krishan Pathak makes his mark between the sticks
While veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh kept an eye on the proceedings from the sidelines, Krishan Pathak guarded the Indian goal for the entire 60 minutes. He kept the gloves on to guide the hosts to a shootout win at the Kalinga Stadium.
Pathak used his outstretched stick to deflect a stinging overhead goal-bound PC strike midway through the third quarter.
The 25-year-old, who is fast emerging from Sreejesh's shadow, got himself into the right positions to deny Spain a goal in the first half. He then kept his cool against the marauding Black Sticks during the frantic final quarter.
Caldas' boys tore past the Indian defense to create a barrage of chances in search of the winning goal, but Pathak stood tall under the bar. The goalkeeper from Kapurthala carried the momentum into the shootout as well to ensure the Indians came away with a bonus point from the encounter.
#2 Harmanpreet Singh continues to dazzle in FIH Pro League
The Indian skipper continues to be the mainstay of the side after finishing as the leading scorer in the previous edition of the FIH Pro League.
Harmanpreet Singh, the highest goalscorer in the world thus far in 2022, fired in 18 goals during the 2021-22 Pro League season before scoring from nine PC goals at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
The sturdy defender scored twice against Spain to take his personal tally to six goals from four matches during the ongoing tournament. With a career tally of 120 goals thus far, the 26-year-old will be key to India's fortunes during the upcoming World Cup.
#1 Spain make India sweat ahead of crucial Pool D World Cup clash
The Spaniards unsettled the Indian defence in the second half to take control of the proceedings. Such was the dominance of the Red Sticks that the hosts would consider themselves fortunate not to have conceded a third goal in regulation time.
Max Caldas' team, who had earlier beaten the Indians 3-2 in the first leg, refused to get bogged down despite trailing 0-2 and took the attack to the Olympic bronze medalists, forcing a flurry of PCs.
The visiting side made merry in the Indian circle with a total of 35 penetrations in the match. Harmanpreet Singh and Co. could enter the striking circle only 15 times.
While Krishan Pathak was kept busy in front of the Indian goal, his Spanish counterpart Mario Garin had little to do after failing to stop Harmanpreet's lethal strikes.
Graham Reid's side earned just three PCs even as Spain were wasteful with their short corners managing to convert just 1 of 13, thus exerting relentless pressure on the Indian defence.
While the likes of Abhishek and Sukhjeet Singh mesmerized spectators with their delectable stick work, the Indian think-tank will have a lot to ponder ahead of the World Cup. They have been drawn with Spain, England, and Wales in the Pool of Death.
The Indians have scored 15 goals while also conceding 12 thus far in the FIH Pro League's current season.
