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The Indian hockey team began their FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 campaign with an impressive 2-0 win over Spain in their opening Pool D match of the tournament at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, on Friday.
The win takes India up to the second place in Pool D standings behind England on goal difference, who defeated Wales 5-0 in the other Pool fixture earlier in the day.
The game was also attended by Shri Naveen Patnaik, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Prem Singh Tamang, Hon’ble Chief minister of Sikkim, Shri Tayyab Ikram, President – International Hockey Federation, Padma Shri Dr. Dilip Tirkey, President – Hockey India, accompanied by Cdr RK Srivastava, Executive Director, Hockey India.
Spain started the game on the front foot causing India some nervy moments, but India settled down soon and were in front by the end of first quarter as Amit Rohidas capitalised on a blocked drag flick by Harmanpreet Singh to bury a shot in the goal in the 13th minute, which was India’s 200th goal in the competition. Only Australia, the Netherlands and Pakistan have scored more.
In the second quarter before the half, India struck another goal as Hardik Singh’s attempt from a tight angle took a deflection off a Spanish defender and rippled the net with India taking a solid 2-0 lead into the half.
In the third quarter, India had great chances to add to their lead, primarily through a Harmanpreet penalty stroke, but the attempt was saved comfortably by Adrian Rafi. India also won 2 penalty corners in the 3rd quarter, but Harmanpreet Singh sent both attempts wide.
India continued to attack, not allowing Spain to put them under pressure. All attempts by the Spanish attack to get a goal back were also well stopped by the Indian defence, led brilliantly by goalkeeper Krishan Pathak, as India carried their 2-0 lead into the full time whistle and secured 3 crucial points in Pool D.
The biggest learning India would want to take was from the fourth quarter of the game when in the 48th minute, India forward Abhishek got suspended with a yellow card as he was on the chair in front of the technical table and India down to 10 men for 10 minutes.
This led to a shift in the momentum of the game from India as earlier before Abhishek’s yellow, Akashdeep had already served a green-card suspension when he was pulled up in the 29th minute.
However, Indian coach Graham Reid had already predicted these situations and simulated playing with 10 men in practice to be ready if such scenarios arise in crucial games ahead.
“We’ve been practising playing with 10 men. I think I said before that at some point in the tournament we are going to have 10 men (on the pitch) and we have been doing a lot of work on it. So that was good,” said Reid after the match.
Home favourite Amit Rohidas was awarded the player of the match and said: “Playing here felt really good, and this was a great win. Thank you to the crowd who turned up in such huge numbers and cheered us on so loudly.”
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