Hockey at Paris Olympics 2024, Highlights: History repeats as India beat NZ 3-2 in Olympic opener as they did in Tokyo

Three points in the bag for the Indian men's hockey team who now take on Argentina on July 27. Join us then and stay with Sportskeeda for all the Latest News and Updates from the 2024 Paris Olympics

This is Subhashish signing off!!

SAM LANE GAVE THE BLACK STICKS AN EIGHTH-MINUTE GOAL OFF NEW ZEALAND'S FIRST PENALTY CORNER

MANDEEP SINGH DEFLECTED A DRAG FLICK HOME TO EQUALIZE FOR INDIA IN THE 24TH MINUTE

VIVEK SAGAR GAVE INDIA THE LEAD IN THE 34TH MINUTE AFTER REPLAYS SHOWED THAT THE BALL HAD JUST ABOUT CROSSED THE GOALLINE

SIMON CHILD RESTORED PARITY FOR NZ WHO EARNED A FLURRY OF SHORT CORNERS IN THE 54TH MINUTE

A LAST-MINUTE PENALTY STROKE GOAL GIVES THE INDIANS A 3-2 WIN IN PARIS

WHAT A MATCH FOR AN OPENER FOR THE INDIANS!!

59' BALL IN THE INDIA CIRCLE - OOPS THE BALL MISSES THE NET BY A WHISKER!!!!

THE INDIAN CAPTAIN MAKES NO MISTAKE - INDIA TAKE THE LEAD IN PARIS!!!

3-2 in favour of the Men in Blue!

INDIA HAVE A PENALTY STROKE!!!!!

THE BALL TOUCHES A NZ FOOT AT THE GOALMOUTH - BUT THE BALL WAS GOING WIDE

INDIA EARN ANOTHER PC

HARMANPREET SINGH AND AMIT ROHIDAS LINE UP!!! THE CROWD ROARS

57' Ball in the NZ half - as NZ switch the ball around and keep possession but refuse to advance.

INDIA EARN A PC!!!

56' The Indians lose their referral as NZ launch a late foray but are dispossessed on the edge of the circle!!

55' The Black Sticks switch flanks in an effort to control possession. The Indian go upstairs at the other end asking for a PC for the five-metre rule!!

54' Both sides involved in a cautious midfield tussle with just over five minutes left to play - who will blink first???

THE REDOUBTABLE SIMON CHILD RESTORES PARITY FOR NZ

WHAT A CONTEST!!

THE PRESSURE PAYS - NEW ZEALAND FIND THE EQUALIZER!!! SREEJESH TAKES A TUMBLE AND INDIA CONCEDE A SECOND

Simon Child injects - Sam Lane takes the drag flick and earns another as the ball is stopped on the line!!

52' NZ make a mess of the short corner with a bad injection and the Indians survive - but concede another short corner!

51' The Black Sticks persist in the vicinity of the striking circle. Sreejesh takes a sip as NZ earn a PC!!!

49' India in front, but just about, as Greg Nicol urges his team on. The Indians back in numbers but NZ fail to control the ball in midfield

48' JARMANPREET SINGH, CALM AS A CUCUMBER CLEARS THE BALL OUT OF DANGER AS THE BLACK STICKS ATTACK IN NUMBERS

INDIA FAIL TO EXTEND THE LEAD AS THE SHORT CORNER IS STOPPED

47' LALIT UPADHYAY WEAVES ONE WAY AND THE OTHER - EARNS INDIA A PC!!!

46' DOMINIC DIXON PULLS OFF A MAGNIFICIENT SAVE TO KEEP NZ IN THE HUNT!!

NZ COUNTER BUT NO DAMAGE DONE!!

END OF Q3: INDIA 2 - 1 NEW ZEALAND

FIFTEEN MINUTES SEPARATE THE INDIANS FROM THREE PRECIOUS POINTS TO BEGIN THEIR OLYMPIC CAMPAIGN IN STYLE

CAN HARMANPREET AND CO. HOLD ON??

VIVEK PRASAD SCORES FOLLOWING A GOALMOUTH MELEE EVEN AS THE BALL TRICKLES CENTIMETRES PAST THE GOALLINE!!!

SREEJESH TO THE RESCUE - STOPS THE FLICK FROM SAM LANE!!!

43' Greg Nicol looks on as NZ press on - now in the attacking third!!! NZ earn a short corner after some sustained pressure!!!

42' Scorching run by the Black Sticks who make their way into the Indian half but fail to advance towards the danger zone

41' The Indians try to make the most of a defensive lapse by NZ but the Black Sticks survive!!! NZ lose the ball twice in their own circle!!!

38' Angled ball in from the Black Sticks but no NZ player in front of the Indian goal to tap that one in - the Indians living dangerously in Paris!!

37' NZ miss a sitter even the Indians try a quick counter - no damage done at either end though!!!

36' The Indians weather the NZ storm but do have the ball in the India half. India push men back into defence

UNRELENTING PRESSURE AS NZ HAVE ANOTHER PC - WHOOPS - AND ANOTHER!!

FOLLOW-UP SHORT CORNER FOR NZ - AND A THIRD!!

35' The Indians are in the attack but fail to make it count as New Zealand storm ahead with a counter!!!

SREEJESH SAVES BUT NZ HAVE A PC!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO ADVICE POSSIBLE SO INDIA GET THE GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DID THE BALL CROSS THE LINE???

THE VIDEO REPLAYS KEEP PLAYING - THIS ONE IS CLOSE!!

34' VIVEK PRASAD SCORES FOLLOWING A GOALLINE MELEE AFTER DIXON HAD MANUFACTURED A GREAT SAVE

MARTIN MADDEN WANTS TO REFER

32' SREEJESH CALLED INTO ACTION AT THE OTHER END - PACY END-TO-END STUFF IN PARIS

31' Second-half action begins and the Indians with a chance to attack

MANDEEP SINGH TAKES A SHOT ON GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DIXON WITH TWO BACK-TO-BACK SAVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"LEGEND SREEJESH" READS A BANNER HELD BY AN INDIAN FAN IN PARIS

THE SECOND HALF IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!!

EIGHT CIRCLE PENETRATIONS FOR INDIA AS COMPARED TO FOUR FOR NEW ZEALAND

THE INDIANS ALSO ENJOYED 57% POSSESSION IN THE FIRST HALF

BUT THE ONLY STAT THAT COUNTS IS THAT BOTH TEAMS HAVE A GOAL APIECE IN THEIR MEN'S HOCKEY OLYMPIC OPENER AT PARIS 2024

HALF-TIME: INDIA 1 - 1 NEW ZEALAND

EVEN STEVENS IN PARIS AS INDIA EQUALIZE THROUGH A PC GOAL COURTESY OF MANDEEP SINGH IN THE 24TH MINUTE

SAME LANE HAD GIVEN HIS SIDE AN EARLY LEAD OFF THEIR FIRST SHORT CORNER IN THE EIGHTH MINUTE

EVERYTHING TO PLAY FOR IN THE SECOND HALF!!!

29' Hardik outside the attacking circle, pushes the ball goalwards but no damage done!!

28' Blair Tarrant does well to manage to penetrate the Indian circle but finds no support in the danger zone

26' NZ back in the attack with a high press but the Indian defence holding firm!!!!

THE INDIANS ARE ALL SMILES - WILL THE GOAL COUNT??

YES, THE INDIANS HAVE EQUALIZED THANKS TO MANDEEP SINGH THE POACHER WHO DROVE THE PC DEFLECTION HOME!!!

THE BALL IS IN THE NET, BUT THE VIDEO UMPIRE IS CONSULTED CLAIMING A FOUL FROM THE ATTACKER

DIXON IS NOW READY

THE CROWD CHEER - HARMANPEET'S FLICK STOPPED ON THE LINE

FOLLOW-UP PC FOR INDIA

THE CLOCK STOPS BECAUSE OF EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION

THE INDIANS WAIT - CAN THEY SCORE OFF THEIR FIRST PENALTY CORNER??

23' The Indians dispossessed outside the attacking circle but persist with a follow-up attack.

INDIA EARN THEIR FIRST PC!!!!!!!!!!!!

21' The Indians press hard just outside the striking circle but fail to find a way through a maze of Black Shirts

Amit Rohidas to the rescue after NZ threaten in the India circle!!!!!!

20' The Black Sticks happy make their way into the attacking third before conceding possession. Woods back on the pitch as the Indians lose the ball