Harmanpreet Singh passes the ball through the males’s pool B match in opposition to Ireland through the Paris Olympic Games at Stade Yves Du Manoir in Paris, on July 30, 2024.
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In punishing warmth and draining situations, Harmanpreet’s first-half brace enabled India to beat a powerful problem from Ireland and publish a 2-0 win in a Pool-B hockey match of the Olympics on the Yves du Manoir Stadium in Paris on July 30.
With two wins and a draw, India has gathered seven factors from three matches and has virtually made it to the quarterfinals.
After conceding targets first in opposition to New Zealand and Argentina, India had a greater begin because it explored the gaps and handed the ball effectively to place stress on Ireland.
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Abhishek was good on the left as he mixed with Sukhjeet to earn India’s first penalty nook within the second minute.
India’s persistence paid off within the eleventh minute as Gurjant made an excellent interception and went as much as mix with Mandeep Singh. The former was felled contained in the circle and the resultant penalty stroke put India forward with Harmanpreet slotting it, beating Irish keeper David Harte on the left.
Following an extended inter-quarter break as a consequence of extreme warmth, which made goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh to relaxation on the shade behind the publish to avoid wasting power, India carried on its momentum to double its lead.
India obtained three successive quick corners and Harmanpreet’s power-packed drag-flick obtained deflected from a defender’s stick with the highest left nook of the publish within the nineteenth minute.
India’s 11 circle penetrations as in opposition to Ireland’s 4 within the first half-hour spoke of the tempo of the match.
The third quarter belonged to Ireland, which fought effectively in opposition to Belgium and Australia earlier than happening 2-0 and 2-1 respectively, exhibited extra organised hockey and obtained eight penalty corners within the house of 5 minutes as India loosened its grip. But Sreejesh and firm had been alert sufficient to dam all the pieces.
India was fortunate to see one other second of scare, when Benjamin Walker missed a sitter after Amit Rohidas and Jarmanpreet had been overwhelmed contained in the circle, go off.
Ireland maintained stress to safe two quick corners, together with one within the final minute, within the fourth quarter. But India managed to place up a greater present to assert full factors.
“We should not have conceded that many PCs in the second half. We have to work on that. But at the same time, we did not concede a goal and that tells our PC defense. But yes, we can’t afford so many PCs,” Jarmanpreet stated.
Sukhjeet stated the staff struggled to regulate the ball within the latter half. “We could not control the ball in the third quarter and they made full use of that. They are a good team, we expected a comeback. Yet, we did better in the final quarter,” he stated.
The outcome:
India 2 (Harmanpreet 11-ps, 19-pc) bt Ireland 0.
Published – July 30, 2024 07:04 pm IST
Content Source: www.thehindu.com