Torneo del Centenario 2023: India men collect first point of campaign with 1-1 draw against Netherlands

India came back fighting following their defeat in the opening game of Torneo del Centenario tournament against Spain, holding heavyweights Netherlands to a 1-1 draw to collect their first point of the campaign The Harmanpreet Singh-led men’s side began the four-team event that marks the 100th anniversary of the Spanish Hockey Federation (Real Federación Española de Hockey) with a 2-1 defeat against the hosts with the captain scoring in the very final minute of the game to halve the deficit. On Thursday, it was Harmanpreet (12’) scoring from a penalty corner again, although unlike the Spain fixture the Indians managed to seize the lead in the very first quarter and managed to maintain their lead going into halftime.

𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀!⚡️

The Indian skipper scores from a short corner to hand his side the lead in the opening quarter.

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The Dutchmen however, kept clawing back with waves of counter-attacks, which resulted in a handful of penalty corners, and the change of ends after halftime prove useful for them as Jasper Brinkman scored the equaliser from one of the PCs in the third quarter to bring Netherlands on level terms with India. Both teams played out a thrilling, fast-paced final quarter in which multiple chances were created although neither could find the finishing touch to collect a winner, and settled for a stalemate in the end. Dutch custodian Maurits Visser was arguably the standout performer from either side in the fixture, his reflexes denying India a second goal on several occasions, including when they were awarded three consecutive short corners in the second half. India had a similar result against England in the women’s game that took place earlier in the day, though unlike the men, the Savita Punia-led side were the one scoring the equaliser. In their opening game of the tournament, it was Lalremsiami who fired in the equaliser in the 41st minute after Holly Hunt (7’) gave England the lead in the first quarter.