HWL as it happened: Goals from Walmiki brothers and Sardar give India easy 3-0 win over Poland

There is one more stick these guys are good with: The selfie stick! 

#HWL2015 @TheHockeyIndia Team Selfie!! #happyfaces @manpreetpawar07 Tag the boys!! #DeshKeLiye pic.twitter.com/d8oSX9xExx

— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) June 23, 2015

SUMMARY:

So India warm-up for the *BIG MATCH* against arch-rivals Pakistan with a convincing, dominating performance against a good Poland side. Paul Van Ass would be concerned about the team not converting from any of the three penalty corners but the performance was clinical in every other department. The final shot count was 14 to 2 in favour of India. Silky finishes from Walmiki’s –  young and old – and a stinging hit from Sardar ensure India maintain their winning start in Antwerp.

This is how POOL A looks right now. 

Like most people are..

Convincing win for Hockey team,could have been better but guess they have saved there best for Pak Match #HWL2015 @hockeyind @HockeyJunoon

— Gururaj Bhatia (@gururajbhatia) June 23, 2015

Sardar Singh: “This 2nd game was really good for us. Though we are never really satisfied with our performance, we showed improvements today. As you know, next game is against PAKISTAN and we are ready for it!”

FT IND 3-0 POL. A splendid effort by The Men in Blue as they dominated every quarter to win convincingly. #HWL2015 pic.twitter.com/sqwI168hG5

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) June 23, 2015

India go to the top of Pool A with two wins out of two.

The hooter goes off signalling the end of a comfortable, dominating evening for India. Yuvraj Walmiki, Sardar Singh, and Devindar Walmiki with the goals. 

FULL TIME: INDIA 3 – 0 POLAND!

India cruising with a 3-0 lead with 2 mins to go in the match.

Harsha making good use of his down time.

Must confess I am enjoying the hockey coverage. Measured commentary, timely explanations. Just right.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 23, 2015

Devindar with his second of the tournament. Another chance created through the center, a ferocious shot into the circle from  Chinglensana  is very cleverly deflected by the younger Walmiki with his back to the goal. Silky use of the stick there by the youngster. What a tournament he is having!

GOAL INDIA! 3-0 DEVINDRA WALMIKI!

A splitting, sweeping hit from the left finds Yuvraj in yards of space inside the circle. He smashes a shot at the ‘keeper but it hits the leg and goes out. Don’t think the ‘keeper knew much about that one.

GREAT CHANCE FOR YUVRAJ! GOOD SAVE MATUSZAK!

MISSED! Third time still unlucky. Another variation tried by India but all they can manage is a deflected shot on goal, which to be fair, was well-saved by Matuszak. Could have been blind-sided there, but stayed alert.

PENALTY CORNER #3 FOR INDIA! Manpreet wins it.

End of Q3: IND 2-0 POL. A dominating performance by The Men in Blue so far. Let's keep up the momentum in Q4! #HWL2015

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) June 23, 2015

Devindra Walmiki with a green card in the final seconds of the Q3. India with 10 men to start Q4.

End of Q3, India take a 2-0 lead heading into the final quarter.

Lovely dribble into the shooting circle, getting past a couple of defenders and then unleashing a ferocious shot on the reverse that sneaks between the legs of the Polish ‘keeper. Excellent, excellent goal by the Indian Captain.

GOAL! Captain Sardar Singh for India! 2-0!

India still need 1-0 with  3 mins to go in Q3.

Sreejesh with another save after a scramble in the shooting circle. India try to counter, but nothing comes of it.

MISSED ! India try a variation from the Penalty corner and it comes to nothing. Manpreet manages to get a shot away but it hits the face of the Polish defender. No conversion from India yet.

PENALTY CORNER TO INDIA! Good stick skills from Sardar to win that. No referral needed there.

Great dribble that started from left to the middle from Lalit puts Poland under pressure but his ferocious shot hits Akashdeep on his leg who had no time to react. Good move India. Another shot from the center.

STAT ALERT: India with 12 circle penetrations compared to Poland’s 2. Shots 8 to 2 in favour of India.

Gurbaj Singh with a clever dodge to beat the defender inside the circle but shoots wide of goal.

Third quarter begins, India lead 1-0.

Paul Van Ass: Smart job in throwing the balls high. One time clicked. It’s a big pitch, we need to make use of it to break better in the second half. Hope our next goal froms the center.

Poland want to stay close to India till the fourth quarter says Polish Technical Director.

At the end of the second quarter, India with a 1-0 lead over Poland. Sardar’s men started on the front foot but the first big chance fell to Poland off a Penalty corner which was saved by Sreejesh. Quickly after that India took the lead through Yuvraj who kept his cool to flick it over the goalkeeper. India could not convert their first penalty corner at the end of the half.

Entertaining match so far.

Matuszak with the save. It was a good injection from India, the shot was well hit by Manpreet but equally well saved. Not very different from Sreejesh’s save from earlier. 

And that will be HALF TIME in Antwerp.

PENALTY CORNER TO INDIA! Dharamveer wins it for India. Less than a minute to go in Q2.

It really was a good finish from Yuvraj. Rushed to celebrate with his younger brother Devindar immediately after scoring.

GOAL! IND 1-0 POL. A stroke of brilliance from Yuvraj Walmiki to give India the lead. #HWL2015

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) June 23, 2015

The Walmiki brothers have a goal each in the tournament so far. Yuvraj is alert to a deflection from Polish defender’s stick. Adjusts nicely and lifts the ball over the ‘keeper. Opportunistic goal, but excellent finish.

India lead 1-0 in Q2 with 5 mins to go.

GOAL INDIA!! YUVRAJ WALMIKI SCORES!

STAT ALERT: For all the possession domination from India,both teams have two shots on goal each. India not creating sufficient clear cut chances here.

Great Save SREEJESH from a well-executed penalty corner. That came at him in 114 kph. Steps forward and flings himself to the right. Great reflexes from the Indian custodian.

Still 0-0 in Q2.

PENALTY CORNER POLAND! Can Poland convert?

Satbir Singh with a nice bit of skill to floor the Polish defender, with some excellent stick control. No clear cut chances yet so far. Gurbaj Singh’s long hit from the right stopped by Poland.

Poland with a better start to this quarter.

Early chance for Poland! Manpreet loses the ball in India’s own half. Poland break at goal but Indian defenders get back in time and nothing comes out of it.

Q2 begins. Still 0-0.

Make that 6 as India break at speed from a rare Poland attack. Comes to nothing after Yuvraj is called for a foul inside the circle.

STAT ALERT: India outnumber Polan 5-0 as far as circle penetrations are concerned.

India 0-0 Poland (Q1: 4 mins to go)

India have won a slew of long corners. Dominating proceedings here with 5 mins to go in the first quarter.

Good chance India! Excellent play down the right flank, sets up a great chance on the turn for Lakra. He strikes it well, but it is well saved from Polish keeper. From the following scrap, no one to convert at the far as the ball was dragged back from the left.

It’s all India so far, as they move the ball at speed from one side to the other. Poland have hardly come out of their own half. Good penetration from the right circle.

Akashdeep with a half chance as Manpreet squares the ball from right side, cannot convert at the far post. India have started on the front foot here.

Steady start from India

Q1 begins! Let's back our boys and drive them to victory! Match updates also available on the official Hockey India app. #HWL2015

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) June 23, 2015

STAT ALERT: India win 60% of the matches when they score in the first quarter

The 9th ranked India is all set to take on 17th ranked Poland. The Walmiki brothers start on the match. Here we go! India to start proceedings. Akashdeep waits on the center line.

As the Indian National Anthem is being played in Belgium.

Our men’s team is ready to take on Poland in the #HWL2015. Are you watching? Tune in to Star Sports 1 & HD1 now! pic.twitter.com/WYaWZOzISA

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) June 23, 2015

As we wait for the match to start, have a look at the winner from the match against France. Brilliantly set up by Sardar Singh.

We are close to the start here.

#HWL2015 Antwerp | next up its @TheHockeyIndia v #poland #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/sSZcra9J9y

— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) June 23, 2015

Roelant Oltmans, Performance Manager of Hockey India: “We want to approach this tournament that we have not qualified for Rio. It was good to start the tournament on the winning note but some of the goals we conceded, we were unhappy with to be honest.”

India’s eves have another disappointing result.

FT: NZL 5-0 IND. Congratulations, @BlackSticks for playing out a great game. Hard luck for our eves today. #HWL2015 pic.twitter.com/k5kGIn5ALA

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) June 23, 2015

Meanwhile, Indian women’s team poor start to the HWL semifinals continues as they are currently losing to New Zealand 5-0. This will be their second consecutive defeat. 2 minutes to go in that game.

Hockey World League: India are not mere tourists, we want to do well, says captain Sardar Singh – Firstposthttp://www.firstpost.com

But if you think that India are here to have some fun and take in the breathtaking scenery of Belgium, well you thought wrong. Sardar Singh has repeatedly maintained that India will play to win all their matches, while trying out new strategies under coach Paul Van Ass.

As you will know by now, Sardar Singh’s troops do not have much to play for in the tournament, what with Olympic qualification already taken care of. Even their place in the finals of HWL is confirmed with India hosting the event at the end of this year.

Hello and welcome to Firspost’s live blog of Indian men’s second group game in the Hockey World League semifinals.