India vs Russia Live Commentary, Score, and Updates - FIH Men's Olympic Qualifiers 2019

This is Subhashish signing off - do join us tomorrow (Saturday) when the Indian girls play the USA at 1800 IST before the men's team takes on Russia at 2000 IST.

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WHAT WILL GRAHAM REID TELL HIS BOYS BEFORE THE DECISIVE MATCH TOMORROW??

DO NOT IT MISS IT FOR THE WORLD!!!

SAME TIME, SAME VENUE, HOPEFULLY, BETTER SHOW FROM TEAM INDIA

FT: 🇮🇳 4-2 🇷🇺

Kudos to our #MenInBlue for claiming their victory over Russia in the first-leg of the ongoing @FIH_Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Odisha. 👏 #IndiaKaGame #INDvRUS #RoadToTokyo #Tokyo2020 #KalingaKalling #GiftOfHockey pic.twitter.com/IvY3jfafY4
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) November 1, 2019

MARAT GAFAROV HAS ENSURED THAT THE SECOND LEG OF THE OLYMPIC QUALIFIER WILL BE JUST AS INTERESTING AS THE FIRST AFTER PULLING OFF SOME NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE SAVES THAT DENIED THE INDIANS AN EMPHATIC VICTORY - A TWO GOAL CUSHION MAY NOT BE ENOUGH FOR THE INDIAN THINK-TANK TO SLEEP EASY - BUT A VICTORY NEVERTHELESS FOR GRAHAM REID'S SIDE

FULL-TIME: INDIA 4 - RUSSIA 2

MASSIVE EFFORT BY GAFAROV - AND THAT IS THAT IN THE FIRST LEG!!!

REPEAT PC AS THE BALL FINDS A RUSSIAN FOOT

59' INDIA HAVE A PC

59' THE RUSSIANS HAVE A PC - AND SCORE IN THE LAST MINUTE !!!! MATKOVSKY PULLS ONE BACK

59' THE INDIANS MISS THE GOAL AND HIT THE POST - NO IT'S GAFAROV AT HIS ACROBATIC BEST!!

57' Yet another attack from the Red Shirts - the Indians heave a sigh of relief as the tomahawk misses the mark - not by much though!

56' AKASHDEEP EARNS A PC FOR INDIA!!

54' The Indians advance from the right - run into a sea of Red outside the 23

SAVE ON THE LINE AND RUSSIA HAVE A REPEAT PC

52' KHAIRULLIN EARNS A PC FOR THE RUSSIANS - CAN THEY GET ONE BACK???

INDIA 4 - RUSSIA 1

52' Manpreet sends one crashing into the post after some able assistance from captain Manpreet - GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!

50' LEPESHKIN SENDS IN A PEACH OF A ONE-HANDED PASS - SREEJESH PADS THE DANGEROUS BALL OUT OF HARM'S WAY

INDIA 3 - RUSSIA 1

48' Nilakanta dances his way past the Russian defenders - SENDS IN A TEASER ACROSS GOAL - SUNIL PLACED IN THE RIGHT SPOT AT THE RIGHT TIME - GOALLLLLL

RUPINDER FLICKS - SUNIL'S DEFLECTION IS SAVED BY GAFAROV

47' MANDEEP WRIGGLES HIS WAY INTO THE CIRCLE - WINS A PC

THE INDIANS HUFFING AND PUFFING AGAINST A DETERMINED AND SKILFUL RUSSIAN UNIT - WILL THE LAST FIFTEEN MINUTES GO ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPT FOR REID'S CHARGERS??

END OF Q3: INDIA 2 - RUSSIA 1

43' Wasted long ball from Harmanpreet - Ramandeep's deflection just over the bar!!!

42' No respite for the Indians in and around the 23 - Russia push harder with every passing minute - and to make matters worse the Indians give away possession in midfield

41' Amit is back on the pitch - into the action right away effecting an interception on the right of the Indian circle

39' Amit gets a green card - the Indians prefer to fall back for a while

38' A cat and mouse game unfolds as the Russians refuse to yield space and scamper ahead in numbers every once in a while - the Indians not exactly in control of the proceedings

DANGEROUS INDEED - FREE OUT FOR THE RUSSIANS IS THE VERDICT!

37' INDIA HAVE A PC - DANGEROUS BALL SAY THE RUSSIANS - WHAT DOES THE VIDEO UMPIRE HAVE TO SAY?

36' It's all happening in and around a busy midfield as neither team can get past the maze of defenders at either end

35' The Russians with a fair amount of the possession as Reid issues instructions from the side lines

33' The Indians fail to manoeuvre past a crowded Red-shirted midfield - resort to vertical long balls instead!

31' The Indians into an early attack - BUT SREEJESH RUSHES OUT OF GOAL TO PREVENT WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE EQUALIZER!!!

"WE NEED TO BE SMARTER WITH THE BALL," SAYS GRAHAM REID

"ACCORDING TO PLAN" SAYS RUSSIA COACH KONKIN

HT: 🇮🇳 2-1 🇷🇺

So far, so good! India manage to revive their lead against Team Russia before the end of Half Time. The question is, will they be scoring any more goals? #IndiaKaGame #INDvRUS #RoadToTokyo #Tokyo2020 #KalingaKalling #GiftOfHockey pic.twitter.com/utbBVizsj7
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) November 1, 2019

WELL, WELL, WELL NOT QUITE THE ONE-SIDED GOALFEST WE WERE EXPECTING, BUT THE INDIANS DO HAVE A SLENDER LEAD - WILL REID'S BOYS COME INTO THEIR OWN IN THE SECOND HALF??

HALF-TIME: INDIA 2 - RUSSIA 1

HARMANPREET'S FLICK IS SAVED - AKASHDEEP FAILS TO FIRE THE REBOUND HOME

28' Surender fails to find space on the right - but the Indians win a PC after a string of witty passes

25' The Russians calm as ever in midfield - the pace slows down a fair bit as the Indians earn a free hit to no avail

24' The Russians scramble to keep the ball out of danger - as the Indians probe down the right flank

INDIA 2 - RUSSIA 1

23' Mandeep's tomahawk finds the mark - GAFAROV IS BEATEN - GOALLLLLL

22' MANDEEP ELBOWS LOGINOV IN THE INDIAN 23- THE UMPIRE FAILS TO NOTICE!

20' LEPESHKIN SENDS IN A SKIER FROM IN FRONT OF THE GOALMOUTH!!!! THE INDIAN DEFENCE BEATEN ALL ENDS UP!

18' The Russians keep pushing - from the left this time but the Indians manage to clear - not for long - SREEJESH YET AGAIN - STOPS A POWERFUL REVERSE FROM THE LEFT CORNER!

INDIA 1 - RUSSIA 1