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Having got a mighty scare from Ireland in the previous match (the hosts scraped through 3-2), Indian men’s hockey team needed to dish out a performance that would have strengthened the confidence of coach Michael Nobbs and the billion hockey fans.
And the Blueshirts did just that on Saturday when they took on China in their fourth league match of the Hero Hockey World League Round 2 tournament at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi.
India applied pressure from the outset and kept the ball for most part in the Chinese territory. The way the Indians sprayed their passes around took the competitive edge of the red brigade as their defence had a busy day in office.
India earned their first penalty corner in the 12th minute. Burly vice-captain Vokkaliga Raghunath came up with a booming drag-flick, which brooked no answer from Chinese goalkeeper Rui Xu. It was Raghunath’s seventh goal of the tournament.
Stung by the opening goal, China tried hard to regroup but found the Indian midfield hard to penetrate. The hosts doubled the lead in the 28th minute when Raghunath scored a field goal as India went into half-time with a 2-0 lead.
China, who was shocked by Bangladesh earlier in the tournament, desperately needed to start proceedings in the second half on a strong note but their plans came unstuck as India struck early.
Dharamvir Singh, who essayed a superb reverse hit goal which panned out to the match-winner against Ireland in the previous match and also won the Man-of-the-Match, made it 3-0 for India in the 39th minute.
It was a nifty move orchestrated by Mandeep Singh who, with support from Birendra Lakra, played it to Dharamvir Singh, who sounded the board.
Five minutes later, Rupinder Pal Singh made the most of India’s third penalty corner, sending it to the left corner of the Chinese goal as their goal-tender Rui Xu was beaten all ends up. This was Rupinder’s sixth goal of the tournament.
India literally put the seal of victory with their fourth goal as China from there on only went through their motions with occasional raids.
India won their fourth penalty corner seven minutes from the final hooter.
Gurjinder Singh unleashed a clinical drag-flick, which was brilliantly stopped at the goal-line by Chinsese fullback Zhimin Du.
Haoran Li had two good chances to reduce the deficit but PR Sreejesh brought off two solid saves.
China muffed up a penalty corner in the final minute of play.
India, who got a bye to the Round 2, will now need to beat Bangladesh on Sunday to progress to Round 3 to be held later in the year.
SV Sunil was named Man-of-the-Match.
