Catch India vs Australi FIH Champions Trophy Final match live scores here.
FULL TIME! Australia beat India 4-2
Australia were on top from the very beginning and dominated the Indian attack. India fought back hard in the final quarter, but their attack appears to have been a bit too late to have any significant impact on the score.
Despite some good saves by PR Sreejesh and spirited efforts by India’s youngsters they’re unable to take the win today and will look to Great Britain’s results for their own standings to be decided.
59’ India have led possession 59-41 to Australia. A renewed vigour in their attack in the final quarter, but it appears to be pointless. They have a long corner and try to shoot, but some good defense from Australia prevents any scoring.
Raghunath shoots and doesn’t score! A great save by Australian keeper Tyler Lovell to prevent India from clawing back. India have some form of renewed vigour, but it’s a little too late with only two minutes of play to go.
56’ Mandeep is hitting it around! Orchard steals and passes to Ockenden! India’s penetrated the circle but can’t do anything. Deavin is penalized as he gets a yellow card and Australia are down to 10 till the end of the match!
PENALTY CORNER to India!
54’ PENALTY CORNER – and no score!
49’ GOAL! Mandeep, who’s starred in India’s matches so far, is doing well today. India still trail 2-4 though, and with just over 10 minutes left in play and a 2 goal deficit, it's not looking good.
End of Q3 and it’s Australia 4 – 1 India.
45’ GOOOOAL! India referred for an obstruction but the video umpire rules against them. They lose their referral and now Australia are leading 4-1 with Tristan White scoring.
45’ After that goal from India to bring it to 3-1 Australia come back almost immediately to score! Just when it’s looking like 4-1, India have asked for a referral for an obstruction. Tristan White SCORES!
44’ A sweep by VR Raghunath and it's now a penalty corner to India. AND IT’S a GOOOOOAL! VR Raghunath takes that one to give India their first score.
42’ and a penalty corner! This one goes to India with Devindar Walmiki in the right place at the right time. A good opportunity for India to score, but it’s wasted. Australia are leading 3-0 and now, in the final 20 seconds of the third quarter matters are looking a bit dire for India.
Harmanpreet, Manpreet, Pardeep Mor, SV Sunil, VR Raghunath. All pushing through to get India into the scoring, but it’s still barren for the Blues.
Catch India vs Australi FIH Champions Trophy Final match live scores here.
Q1 was non scoring but Q2 and Q3 have seen Australia build up what looks like an unassailable lead.
VR Raghunath passes to Mor, Mor to Chinglensana and Chinglensana isn’t too lucky as the ball is stolen by Ogilvie! Sreejesh stands his ground to prevent a score there.
35’ GOOOOOAL! It’s Flynn Ogilvie who gives Australia an even wider lead here at the Lee Valley Hockey Centre in London today.
Now Glenn Turner has joined the party and he’s pushing it towards goal! That shot runs just wide of goal and PR Sreejesh.
34‘ Another penalty corner to Australia who again go with Govers. No score but Australia with fourteen circle penetrations are clearly in this to win it. In Q3, the Kookaburras have led possession 70-30 and it’s not looking good for the Men in Blue..
33’ TWO penalty corners back to back! Govers shoots and it hits the post. They go with Dawson for the second one and it’s deflected away from goal.
Deavin – Turner – and Australia’s attacking! Sreejesh has saved that goal with some quick reflexes. He’s done a turn and shifted his body weight to save that one – and he’s done it!
THIRD QUARTER underway!
Australia have had twelve shots at goal – India not even one yet. The Kookaburras also lead on penalty corners with 6 to India's 1. They’re playing for glory here but have not had the typically strong attack they’ve shown early on in previous games.
END OF FIRST HALF! India have been unable to score but put on a good attacking display early in Q1. Australia are on the front foot here though, getting the lion’s share of penalty corners and leading on circle penetration and possession here.
Australia have had TWELVE circle penetrations. A staggering push back here in London today. SV Sunil, who has been good all tournament so far, pushes a sublime pass towards Mandeep, another star of India’s attack over the past four ties. Final minute!
25’ Penalty corner! Again to Australia. Govers sweeps, Sreejesh saves! Kothajit tidies things up to remove it from the vicinity of the goal. Now Ockenden is looking to push it right back.
Australia lead 2-0
23’ GOOOOAL! Again to Australia. Zalewski attacks and pummels it towards PR Sreejesh. An unlucky miss for the Indian custodian as it bounces off his pads. Australia have ramped up their attack after a short return attack from India and it shows.
21’ GOAAAAL! Mitton takes a penalty corner and Australia lead 1-0.
Trent Mitton takes it - and TRENT MITTON SCORES!
20’ ANOTHER penalty corner. It’s the fourth of the match and the fourth to Australia.
Australia are coming back in the possession again! They lead 54-46 and have had 5 shots at goal so far.
18’ It’s raining penalty corners here! Another PC to Australia. Dawson takes it and pummels it into the goal. India’s defense rushes forward but it’s Sreejesh who moves to his right to save that one.
16’ And it’s another penalty corner – again to Australia. They’re unable to score with a brilliant stretch from PR Sreejesh. Scores remain at 0-0.
Q2 now underway!
That’s the end of the first quarter and it’s a goalless one! Australia started with a lead on possession and attacking India – who have now come back spectacularly!
14’ It’s a long corner to India! Interesting stat for you – Australia have yet to score a Q1 goal in this tournament.
India are dialing it up with the possession. From 60-40 to Australia, it’s now dead even at 50-50. Each team has had one circle penetration so there’s nothing necessarily separating the teams at this point in time in this game!
9’ FIRST PENALTY CORNER of the match! It goes the way of Australia and Hayward shoots...and Sreejesh saves! No score just yet, but Australia are showing some aggressive strokeplay already.
Australia are already dominating in the first quarter. We’re halfway through now, and the Kookaburras lead possession 60% to India’s 40%. Despite the presence of star goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, they’ve already conceded 7 goals in the tournament.
AND THEY’RE OFF! The match commences with Australia on the attack straightaway. It’s what they’re known for, and they’re displaying that same talent today.
India take on Australia at the FIH Men’s Champions Trophy 2016 in London, England today in the Blues’ final group stage tie. This one promises to be India’s toughest challenge yet; the top-ranked Australia currently sit atop the table as well. Held to a goalless draw in their tournament opener against England, Australia have won every match they have played since. Beating Korea 4-2 in their second tie, the Kookaburras beat Germany 4-3 the following day. They will likely not be too worried for their chances against India today. The World No.1s thoroughly dominated India at the teams’ recent finals tie at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, with Australia taking top honours at the tournament in Ipoh, Malaysia.
The Sardar-Singh led Indian side had looked strong at the tournament in Malaysia, taking some big victories there. They beat the hosts, Malaysia, 6-1 and in a long-played out sporting rivalry, also took on arch-rivals Pakistan in the pair's long-touted tie, beating them 5-1.
Star Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, whose services were missed in Ipoh, has returned to the FIH Men’s Champions Trophy – the final tournament before the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this August. He will not only keep for the team but also take over the captaincy in the absence of regular national captain Sardara Singh, who will return in time for the Olympics.
India’s defense has been singularly strong at the Champions Trophy at the Lee Valley Hockey Centre this year, and VR Raghunath has been an essential part of that makeup.
India’s attack has also been stronger than usual, with young guns Mandeep and Talwinder firing as Devendar Walmiki has contributed with the stick to India’s victories.
However, one thing India will want to keep an eye on is the fact that they appear to lose momentum towards the end of their matches. Defense and attack have both been strong in the initial halves of matches, but the team has seemed to flag with their rivals building on that fall of energy each time.
Taking early leads in all of their matches, India have lost leads – and in one case victory, with rivals taking a late charge as the Indian side saw an apparent drop in energy. The team most significantly took an early lead over Germany before the Germans came back towards the latter end of the match to force an eventual draw.
Lackluster performances also mean India is behind on goal difference, which here is also integral to their table position – and eventual finish at the tournament.
Given this is the final international hockey tournament before the Olympic Games, each team at Champions Trophy will want to put in their all. Korea, who are the only team at the tournament to not have qualified for the Olympics, pulled back towards the end of the match as they almost drew with India with a late goal. It was a return attack from India’s Nikkin Thimmaiah, who scored in the same minute as Korea’s goal, that took India back in the lead in that match and won them the game.
Australia, the strongest team at the tournament, have 13 titles to their name, and are the most successful team in the history of the tournament. Germany, having won the title in 2014 are the reigning champions in the biennial event.
The match commences at 8:30 IST from the Lee Valley Hockey Centre in London, England.
