Preview: India take on England in their second game of the Hockey World League (HWL) Final at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar on Saturday. Earlier, India opened their campaign with a resolute 1-1 draw against defending champions Australia. Mandeep Singh gave India the lead in the 20th minute but Jeremy Hayward successfully converted a penalty corner in the 21st minute to pull Australia level. Australia earned as many as six penalty corners but could convert only one as the Indian defence stood tall. India got three penalty corners – two after Mandeep’s goal but could not capitalise on them. Akashdeep Singh came closest to making it 2-1 as a deflection hit the side-bar in the 51st minute. Akashdeep could have given India the lead in the 17th minute as he met a crisp cross and with only the goalkeeper Tyler Lovell to beat but he ended up hitting the ball on to the onrushing Australian custodian. But Mandeep gave India the lead three minutes later as he received a cross from Lalit Upadhyay from the right and employed a backhander which went past Lovell. Australia’s response was swift. Hayward drag-flicked past Indian goalkeeper Akash Chikte to make it 1-1. India got two penalty corners but Rupinder Pal Singh’s efforts were not good enough to trouble the Aussie defence. Later, Australia enjoyed a good 10-15 minutes of possession as the visitors sent a lot of men forward to get into the lead. But they couldn’t turn their possession into a goal as the Indian young defenders responded well under pressure. India got out of the phase of inactivity as they got a penalty corner in the 52nd minute. But Birendra Lakra mistrapped the push as the chance went abegging. Australia tried to break the Indian defence but the latter was determined to earn a point from the match. Sjoerd Marijne-coached India will meet England in their second match of Pool B on Saturday. “We got several chances throughout the game to create goals. We will focus them to convert them into goals in next games,” Indian captain Manpreet Singh said after the draw. Marijne said: “We put up an improved performance. We did really well as a team but we have to improve in some areas including converting penalty corners into goals.” Earlier in the inaugural match on Friday, Germany defeated England 2-0 to start their campaign in a dominating fashion. Germany scored through Mats Grambusch (19th) and Christopher Ruhr (25th).
Highlights, India vs England, Hockey World League Final 2017, Scores and Updates: Visitors clinch the match 3-2
Catch the live score and updates from India’s match against England at the Hockey World League Final 2017, taking place at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
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And that’s it from the Kalinga stadium.
India have lost their 2nd match in the pool 2-3 to England.
India did extremely well to equalise after being 0-2 down.
But then they failed with the first touch not releasing the ball early.
Finally,a defensive error yet again gave England the opening to win the match 3-2.
India have a rest tomorrow and then they take on Germany.
Listless display by India.
England played well and controlled the game.
They scored at crucial intervals.
India needs to look at their defensive capabilities.
Amit Rohidas was not even on the pitch in the 4th quarter.
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AND ENGLAND HAVE WON 3-2.
England got the 3 points.
India have one after their draw aganst Australia.
Two minutes to go.
Can they pull off an equaliser here?
But Akashdeep gets a yellow.
India have to play with ten.
It’s England’s game now.
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GOAL!
ENGLAND HAVE SCORED.
DEFENSIVE ERROR BY MANPREET AND SAM WARD HITS IT HARD INTO GOAL.
IT’S 3-2 FOR ENGLAND.
At 2-2, India need to release first touch.
Just too much hanging onto the ball happening.
Rupinder Pal’s flick is low and powerful enough to beat George Pinner in the English goal.
Match on at 2-2.
With less than 8 minutes left, can India control the game and force a winner here?
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GOAL!
GOAL!
GOAL!
RUPINDER PAL SINGH’S FLICK GIVES INDIA EQUALISER.
INDIA 2 ENGLAND 2
India have their 4th PC.
Can they get the equaliser?
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It was a Rupinder Pal Singh flick.
Ball dropping off Pinner’s pads.
On rushing Akashdeep slamming it in.
India 1 England 2
GOAL!
GOAL!
INDIA HAVE SCORED.
IT’S 1-2.
AKASHDEEP PUTS IT IN.
India have their 3rd PC.
It’s their 7th of the tournament.
They haven’t converted yet.
And we have the last quarter now.
15 minutes of hockey left.
India needs two goals.
England 2-0 up.
That’s the end of the 3rd quarter.
India still 0-2 down.
Fans are sticking around having faith that India might try and get a few goals.
Doesn’t look that way.
This is not the India that played yesterday.
England defend dourly.
The rebound off the keeper’s pads fell to Manpreet but he wasn’t fast enough to knock it in.
And it’s a second PC for India.
Will they try an indirect?
Huge error from Harmanpreet leads to England getting their 2nd goal.
India have asked for a referral for a PC.
And they get it.
India’s 1st PC in the match.
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GOAL!
ENGLAND HAVE THEIR SECOND.
AND MOST PROBABLY THE MATCH.
IT’S A SAM WARD GOAL.
Extremely sloppy play by India.
Nothing is working for them.
India is refusing to create space.
With England plugging in the gaps, Harmanpreet needs to be the fulcrum.
That was close.
England could have easily gone another goal up.
India seem bereft of ideas.
But you don’t need brilliance here.
You need someone to hold the ball and control the pace.
India trying to build up.
Chinglensana shot from the top of the circle and England goalkeeper Gibson saves.
The 3rd quarter about to begin.
It will be interesting to see how India respond.
It’s not because of the lead that one believes England is playing well. But that they have the control on the match.
Even if there is no space to release the ball, England keep rotating.
India have played into their hands and turn overs have come fast.
Under pressure, Lakra and Amit have succumbed to losing the ball.
The defence is in shambles, especially in the 2nd quarter.
The structure so important against an opponent like England is not visible.
With the midfield pulling itself back into the defence, the pressure is on India.
Before going off to the break and the team meeting, Uthappa said they aren’t playing the game plan that was decided.
In other words, England are more organised and are not allowing India to have free space on the pitch.
And that’s the end of the 2nd quarter.
It’s the break.
England is leading 1-0.