 "With 25th Grand Slam looking increasingly uncertain, Novak Djokovic could fulfill another dream next year")
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In Match 5: Australia men’s hockey team moved up to third place in the FIH Hockey Pro League thanks to a thrilling 4-3 victory over hosts India at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Friday. The Kookaburras were at their imperious best in the first three quarters, dominating the home favourites to open up a 4-1 lead thanks to goals from Dylan Wotherspoon, Tom Wickham, Lachlan Sharp and Jacob Anderson. However, India produced a spirited performance in the final quarter, with Raj Kumar Pal adding to his third quarter penalty corner with a stunning field goal to make it 4-2 before Rupinder Singh’s superb penalty corner drag-flick pulled India to within one goal going into the final eight minutes. Rupinder had a glorious chance to level the scores with a last minute penalty corner, but his effort sailed wide of the mark, giving Australia all three points. The two teams meet again at the Kalinga Stadium on Saturday, with Australia knowing that another victory would see them climb above the Netherlands and into second in the standings. Australia’s Lachlan Sharp, who was named Player of the Match, said that he was “definitely disappointed” with the final quarter, but was pleased with the overall performance and was quick to comment about the strength and depth of the Kookaburras squad. India captain Manpreet Singh said: “I think we didn’t create many chances in the first three quarters but in the last quarter we did, so we need to come back [strong] for tomorrow’s match.”
India vs Australia Highlights, FIH Pro League 2020: India beat Australia 3-1 in shoot-out after 2-2 draw in regulation time
India pocketed the bonus point after beating Australia 3-1 in the shoot-out in Match 6 of the FIH Pro League 2020. The two teams were locked at 2-2 at the end of regulation time.
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Australia and India are locked on 10 points with the Kookaburras third due to a better goal difference. Belgium continue to lead with Netherlands in second.
Match stats from India’s 2-2 regulation time draw with Australia
Summary of the shoot-out with three misses for Australia
Player of the match Harmanpreet Singh
Gets a cheque of Rs 50,000. Joins for a chat: “Our team did a very good job. We made plenty of mistakes yesterday. We discussed what to do today, what to improve and today we did well.”
“We have a few weeks break. We have a camp in Bengaluru in a few weeks. So that would give us the chance to fix the mistakes.”
INDIA GET THE BONUS POINT!
Jake Havey scores but it is after the eight seconds. After a lengthy check on from the video referral, India win the shoot-out and take the bonus point!
Australia continue to miss, India score
Beale and Ephraums miss for Australia. Vivek Prasad and Lalit Upadhyay score for India. INDIA 3-1 AUSTRALIA
Australia miss!
Tim Brand is fouled by PR Sreejesh. Daniel Beale’s penalty stroke effort is wide of the mark. INDIA 1-1 AUSTRALIA
Harmanpreet for India
No such trouble for Harmanpreet to move fotrward and score. INDIA 1-1 AUSTRALIA
Beale first up for Australia
PR Sreejesh in goal for India. Bit of a tumble from Beale as he made his way forward. Video referee comes into play with a possible foul from the India goalkeeper. It is a penalty stroke for Australia after the decision comes in Australia’s favour. Dawson with the penalty stroke and he gets it in. Just about. Sreejesh went the right way but unluckily can’t keep it out. INDIA 0-1 AUSTRALIA
Full time: India 2-2 Australia
With no winner after 60 minutes of regulation time, India and Australia head to a shoot-out to decide who gets the points. Remember India and Netherlands played a shoot-out with India winning 3-1.
PC for Australia
With 11 seconds left on the clock, Australia have a penalty corner. They’ve been 0/8 on PCs tonight. It goes to Hayward and Dawson gets the final shot. It is saved. But Australia go up to the video referee for a possible dangerous play from India. Rohidas with a desperate lunge to deflect the ball wide. The video referee decides no need to hand a penalty corner. Australia lose their referral
India chance
India move the ball around swiftly and progress nicely. Chinglensana with a well played pass in the centre but Vivek doesn’t go for the gamble. He’s one step short to helping it into the goal. Moment later, Nilakanta has a bite with a well struck reverse hit to test the keeper. But it was good height and not in the corner to test the keeper
Mitton bloodied
Another injury. Two in two minutes. Trent Mitton tries to block a shot down but gets the stick or the ball into his mouth. It has left him a bloody mess and walks off the turf to get some help.
Nasty blow to Raj Kumar Pal
Bit of a coming together in the middle of the turf. Raj Kumar Pal vies for the ball with another Australia player. It kicks up with neither letting up and hits Raj in the head! Needs medical assistance before walking off the pitch. Gotta hurt!
India chance
Ramandeep has the space and almost waits for an India player to make the run on the far post to deflect the ball into goal. Gursahibjit joins him in the attack but he does so at the near post with Australia shirts around him. It caught Gursahibjit on the foot and Australia get the ball
Green card for Raj Kumar Pal
Late tackle from Raj Kumar Pal on Daniel Beale and India are down to ten men for two minutes.
GOAL! India 2-2 Australia
32 seconds into the final quarter and Australia level! Zalewski with a great finish! Whetton with a pace-filled pass and Zalewski helps it along to beat Pathak in goal. All to play for in the remaining 14 minutes.
End of third quarter: India 2-1 Australia
No goals in the third quarter but Australia had a glorious opportunity to equalise. Converted a penalty corner but it was overturned after video referee took a look. But an even better chance arrived a minute later with Brand missing a penalty stroke
Australia chance
Turnover near the Australia circle and Beltz carries the ball nearly half the length of the pitch. Both sets of players stretched. Brand with the final shot, on the turn, but it is wide
Great chance for India
Hardik with an absolute beauty to spread the ball forward for Ramandeep. The ball left two Australia players in its wake but the final shot is wide and doesn’t bother the keeper. Crucial challenge to put him off as well
Green card for Manpreet
For the second straight day, Manpreet, the India captain, has a green card. He has to sit out for two minutes and he’s not happy. Not sure what that is for and maybe neither does Manpreet!
Australia miss penalty stroke
This is not a penalty corner but a penalty stroke. Beale coming under a stick tackle. Referee opting not to go upstairs with this one as India complain. Tim Brand misses! Brand to Sreejesh’s left and the goalie went the opposite direction. It hits the post and goes out!
PC for Australia, goal disallowed
Almost immediately Australia have the chance to test if they’ve improved on penalty corners. 29 seconds into the second half. Hayward with the shot and it is blocked. But another PC. This time it is converted. Referee taking a look with the help of video. India don’t have any reviews left. Possibly dangerous play with a high shot. The shot hit Manpreet on the leg and crept in. But the goal has been disallowed.
India seeing more of the ball in the second quarter, more accuracy in their passing and more importantly, penalty corners came and were converted
Half time: India 2-1 Australia
Phew! Three goals in the second quarter after a cagey first with very few chances. Australia took the lead with Trent Mitton’s strike beating Pathak on the near post. But India needed two minutes to equalise with Rupinder Pal Singh’s second goal in two days and fifth of the FIH Pro League. Two minutes later, Harmanpreet converted the penalty corner to give India the lead. And that is how it remained for the remaining three or so minutes. Expect more goals in the second half!
PC for India, GOAL, India 2-1 Australia
This time it is Harmanpreet who takes over the responsibility of taking a shot from the penalty corner. It is blocked but with a foot. Another PC and this time he scores! Harmanpreet with the shot, takes a deflection off Brand and beats Lovell in goal.
PC for India, GOAL! India 1-1 Australia
With 5:20 left in the second quarter, India win their first penalty corner of the match. Rupinder Pal Singh is the one that it falls to and he smacks it home! Flat, down the centre and between Lovell’s legs.India draw parity in two minutes
PC for Australia
Sixth penalty corner for Australia and another chance squandered. Bit of variation on this one but the eventual shot is saved by Pathak. Australia stay with a one goal advantage
GOAL! India 0-1 Australia
Australia score! Trent Mitton celebrates and this one counts. Manpreet with a little chat about something with the referee but no reviews. Mitton with a shot from the right and finds the smallest of gaps between goal post and pad to beat Pathak. Disappointing that the keeper didn’t push it away to safety.
PC for Australia
Dangerous move for Australia is stopped, maybe crucially, by an Indian foot. But it sees Australia win their fifth penalty corner. Hayward with the shot and it is chased down. Deemed too high and India have the ball
India chance!
Amit Rohidas with a lovely pass from the right and Jarmanpreet was unmarked in the centre. Lovell closed the gap down and forced a first time shot. And that’s enough for the shot to go wide. Great chance!
Australia dominating possession in the first quarter. But more tellingly there, 0/4 on PCs.
End of first quarter
Cagey first quarter in Bhubaneswar. Australia thought they took the lead courtesy Sharp but it was ruled out with the video review coming in the hosts’ favour. Certainly a better 15 minutes for India than on Friday.
PC for Australia
Both teams have appealed for a review. The original decision is a penalty corner to Australia. Manpreet thinks there is dangerous play, as do Australia in the build-up. Busy period for the officials. The decision stands. India lose the review with a foot from India. 3:37 left in the quarter. Hayward with the shot but Sreejesh with an equally strong save. Saved from the right foot by Sreejesh to keep it goalless
Chance for India
Manpreet with a low flat ball into the Australia circle. Ramandeep gets the deflection but it goes wide of the goal. Tough chance
PC for Australia, goal disallowed
With 8:04 left in the first quarter, Ephraums has won a penalty corner. Dawson with a slap shot, it is charged down, but gets Chinglensana’s foot. Another PC. Dawson with not the greatest of shots. But it comes down to Sharp and he smacks it home. Australia celebrate. Sreejesh says he was obstructed. India take a video review. Beale possibly the guilty party here. Simon Party the video referee agrees there was obstruction. India keep the review and the goal is disallowed
India up the pressure
Much better at the start for India than on Friday. More purpose behind their attack and staying inside or near Australia’s circle for a prolonged period. Moving the ball better and keeping the defence busy. The ball makes its way into the goal but no touch from anyone inside the area. Possible own goal? Replay suggests not.