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India’s undefeated run in the Hockey World League (HWL) semi-final was broken courtesy of a rampant Australia, who emerged victorious 6-2. Both teams were assured of the top 2 spots in Pool A as Pakistan had earlier drawn against France. Australia, the top-ranked team, came into the match with three wins in three while Rupinder Pal Singh was unable to shake off his injury in time and India had to play without a specialist drag-flicker.
After the initial exchanges, Australia took the lead in the 8th minute when Aran Zalewski’s shot nutmegged PR Sreejesh and gave the Hockeyroos the lead. Jamie Dwyer created the goal and found Zalewski brilliantly, who took a touch and finished with aplomb.
2 minutes before the quarter ended, the man who created the first goal found the target after a brilliant run. After receiving the ball in the Indian circle by Blake Govers, he went past 2 defenders and hit a reverse shot to double Australia’s advantage.
Australia started the second quarter just where they left off in the first and pushed Paul van Ass’s side deep in their own half. India were lucky to not go three behind in the third minute of the second quarter when a shot went blazing past the Indian goal. The Indians came back strongly and penetrated the Australian D on a few occasions, but were unable to trouble Tyler Lovell, the Australian goalie.
For all of India’s pressure in the second quarter, Australia were awarded a penalty corner in the 26th minute and Christopher Ciriello stepped up to take it. His initial shot was saved by Sreejesh, but the ball rolled back to Ciriello, who made no mistake this time around, sending the ball into the bottom corner to make it 2. Sreejesh had to be on his toes in the 29th minute when the tournament top-scorer, Blake Govers’ top-corner bound shot was plucked out by the Indian custodian.
A better performance by India in the second half
Australia extended their lead in the second half when Ciriello scored from a penalty corner in the 33rd minute of the match. However, India hit back straight away through an unlikely source – Birendra Lakra.
India were awarded a penalty corner in the 34th minute and Jasjit Singh’s resultant drag-flick was saved by Lovell, but Lakra pounced on the loose ball, taking a touch and hitting a powerful reverse shot which went in off the Australian defender.
In the 42nd minute, however, Australia restored their 4-goal advantage through Kieran Govers, who was on hand to deflect the ball home after Sreejesh had made a good save. Despite the clock ticking, Christopher Ciriello got his hat-trick in the second last minute of the quarter through a penalty corner.
Harjot Singh replaced the lacklustre Sreejesh in goal for India for the fourth quarter as Andrew Charter manned the goal for Australia replacing the impressive Lovell. India kept on pushing and were rewarded in the 51st minute when Ramandeep Singh got his fourth goal of the tournament after brilliant work by Dharamvir Singh.
Sardar Singh found Dharamvir in the box, who kept a cool head to go around Charter before passing to the waiting Ramandeep at the far post. This goal meant that Ramandeep has scored in all the four matches in the HWL semis.
India finish second in Pool A and Australia, with a flawless record, finish top of the Pool.
