Highlights Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2017, India vs Australia, hockey scores and updates: India lose 1-3

EDDIE OCKENDEN IS THE MAN-OF-THE-MATCH. INDIA HAD SPACE IN THE 2ND AND 3RD QUARTER BUT COULDN’T REALLY SCORE OF THE CHANCES. AUSTRALIA SHOWED WHY THEY ARE THE WORLD CHAMPIONS.

NO PC FOR INDIA. AUSTRALIA ARE THE WINNERS 3-1. INDIA WILL BE SORELY DISAPPOINTED. AUSTRALIA HAVE 7 POINTS AFTER THREE GAMES WHILE INDIA ARE ON FOUR POINTS WITH TWO GAMES TO GO.

THAT’S THE END OF THE MATCH. BUT INDIA HAVE ASKED FOR A VIDEO REFERRAL. THEY WANT A PC.

Surender slips on the edge of the Aussie striking circle and that’s probably the last chance to pull one back. Time fast running out. Less than a minute left.

Australia leading 3-1 with under three mins left. India playing without a goalkeeper and an extra player on the field. They need to get one goal back to exert some pressure. Hopes fading fast for India. (02:08, 4th Q)

India is running out of time. They need to attack from the flanks and cut in with their forwards.

India on the attack, all 11 players in the Aussie half. Can they pull back two goals? (05:33, 4th Q)

India have pulled off their goalkeeper Akash Chikte. Rupinder Pal Singh on the turf with a bib in place of the GK. (06:37, 4th Q)

And Australia win the referral. No PC for India.

India get their 4th PC. But Australia ask for a video referral. (07:50, 4th Q)

WHAT A GOAL FROM AUSTRALIA!!! TOM WICKHAM WENT PAST FIVE DEFENDERS WITH THE GOAL ON HIS RIGHT, REVERSE SHOT WHILE FALLING BEATS CHIKTE. AUS LEAD 3-1 (09:01, 4TH PC)

Just under eleven mins for India to get an equaliser and also ensure that Australia don’t score. Australia cutting the pace down in the midfield. (11.17, 4th Q)

Harmanpreet’s powerful flick deflects of Aussie goalkeeper Lovell’s stick. Great save. Australia lead 2-1. (12:52, 4th Q)

India have their 3rd PC. Can they get the equaliser?

India has been pushing forward in search of the equaliser towards the end of the last quarter and are likely to throw caution to the wind to avoid defeat: Arasu (14:35, 4th Q)

END OF THE 3RD QUARTER. AUS LEAD 2-1. INDIA PLAYING HARD IN THE DYING MOMENTS OF THE QUARTER.

Almost got the equaliser. Gurinder, Rupinder Pal and Talwinder gets crowded out by the defence. Then Sardar creates but Mor can’t keep the ball inside the line. India playing with good intent; Aggressive display. (01:00, 3rd Q)

Lovely move from Sumit, Sardar and then the through to Akashdeep. But the reverse hit is saved by Aussie goalkeeper Tyler Lovell. (02:38, 3rd Q)

The momentum seems to have shifted back to the defending champions. They had absorbed the pressure from the Indians and bounced back strongly not only to take the lead but also in pressuring their rivals defence. Arasu (04:17, 3rd Q)

Wonder why Sardar, Manpreet Singh (capt) and Harjeet are not brought on together? It’s the thrust that counts at the moment. India need to make inroads. Play possession and try and do what they did in the 2nd quarter – have Australia on the run with steady moves down the middle. (05:37, 3rd Q)

Big blow if Sreejesh is ruled out of the tournament. Doesnt look too good.#azlanshahcup.#IndvsAus pic.twitter.com/oMvIsV4Qto

— Sundeep Misra (@MisraSundeep) May 2, 2017

Australia regaining control slowly. Tom Craig’s a bull. Playing all over the turf and also coming in to score the goal. Can India pull an equaliser back? SV Sunil gets a green card. India is down to ten men. (08:09, 3rd Q)

AUSTRALIA MISS ON THE PC STOP. BUT SWANN RECOVERS, SEND IN A PASS THAT TOM CRAIG SQUEEZES BETWEEN CHIKTE’S PADS. GREAT GOAL. AUSTRALIA LEAD 2-1. (11:14, 3RD Q)

And the PC is given. India loses the referral. Australia’s 5th PC.

The 5th PC is given. And India asks for a video referral.

Indian defence saves and after a swift counter, Australia are back with a 4th PC. (11:49, 3rd Q)

And Australia have their 3rd PC of the match in the 3rd quarter. Great run by Tom Craig. (12:33, 3rd Q)

Teams are back on the ground. 3rd quarter to start. It’s 1-1. Scorers: Harmanpreet Singh for India and Eddie Ockenden for Australia. (14.77, 3rd Q)

India’s goal has been credited to Harmanpreet Singh. As per the judges table, Harmanpreet’s shot was deflected in by Aussie defender Andrew Philpott before Mandeep could put his stick. On the replays, it showed the opposite. But we have to go with the official version.

Akash Chikte had made a wonderful save off Australia’s 2nd PC. But after that a movement saw him take a shot on the pads. Eddie, fast on the corner picked up the rebound before Chikte or Mor could respond. Great goal from Australia.

THAT’S THE END OF THE 2ND QUARTER. IT’S 1-1. DEFENSIVE LAPSE AND AUSTRALIA GOT THE EQUALISER.

PC is saved by Akash Chikte. But Australia have pulled in the equaliser off a field goal by Eddie Ockhendon. it’s 1-1 now. (00:32, 2nd Q)

Australia in the Indian half. And Australia have their 2nd PC. (01:23, 2nd Q)

AND THAT’S THE GOAL. HARMANPREET MOVES IN, MANDEEP DEFLECTS IN. INDIA LEAD 1-0. (04:16, 2ND Q)

AND THAT WAS CLOSE. MANDEEP’S LOVELY DEFLECTION HITS THE POST. (04:53, 2ND )

Great move by Sardar; moving past four Aussie players and giving a deft pass to Akashdeep whose reverse is not on target.(06:48, 2nd Q)

Play has gone sluggish. No moves happening that could suddenly set the match alight. India cutting down the pace. Playing possession now. (09:30, 2nd Q)

And the Malaysian umpire Eric’s decision is also over-turned. No PC for India. (11:57, 2nd Q)

On the other side, India has got it’s 3rd PC. But the Aussies have now asked for a referral. (12:22, 2nd Q)

And India is successful in going to the video umpire. Britain’s umpire Paul Walker over-turns the PC decision.

Australia have their 2nd PC. India asks for a video referral. (12:51, 2nd Q)

India on the attack. But they need to make it count. Slightly wayward in the Aussie striking circle.

Sreejesh Parattu is injured as he came off his line to stop Eddie Ockenden from making a lunging connection. A big blow to the Indian side that needed his experience and calm demenour between the posts. Arasu (15:00, 2nd Q)

AND THAT IS THE END OF THE 1ST QUARTER. IT’S STILL GOALLESS.

Sardar dominating the midfield now. While Sreejesh is being helped back to the bench by the assistant coaches. Australia is trying to find their way back after their initial burst. (00.12, 1st Q)

Not a good sight this – seeing the Indian goalkeeper Sreejesh hobbling off. Akash Chikte had taken his place. Hope this is not serious. (02:12, 1st Q)

Even the WiFi goes off the ping.

India meanwhile has had a PC which has been saved by Tyler the Aussie goalkeeper. And then Mor sent in a lovely cross which was deflected by Akashdeep but just sped past the post. Both the teams have had equal chances. (02:21, 1st Q)

After the initial burst of attacks by Australia, both the teams have kind of settled down. India had a great opportunity when Akashdeep and Mandeep moved in, played in tandem but Mandeep surrounded couldn’t place it in.

Superbly paced attack by Australia and Tom Craig suddenly on the left flank speeds in bringing out Sreejesh to save the situation. (08:11, 1st Q)

India make a hash of their 1st PC. Unable to stop. Australia clear away the danger. (09:09, 1st Q)

Australia playing efficiently in the midfield as Tom Craig is steady as always. Substitutions see Sardar on the field now. India have gone for a video referral as they believe they had a PC which wasn’t given by Malaysian umpire Eric Koh. (10:14, 1st Q)

The PC is not clean and then the Aussie captain Matthew Swann completely misses a hit.The Aussies are on the attack. India rattled at the moment. But still manage a counter-attack with Mandeep. India needs to settle down quickly. (12:02, 1st Q)

And right in the 1st minute, we have Australia with their 1st PC of the quarter and match.(14:12, 1st Q)

Mandeep Singh at the centre. Both the teams are ready. AND THERE WE GO.

Both the National Anthems done and the players shake hands. It’s also SV Sunil’s 201st match. From the Indian fans point of view, may he celebrate his 201st match with a few goals.

Teams walk in onto the turf. The much anticipated clash between the two table toppers will start as scheduled with both teams just finishing up with their warm-up sessions.(Arasu)

Teams are ready now. Apart from the players, it would also be a battle of the Coaches – Roelant Oltmans Vs Colin Batch.

From a distance, sometimes, Pardeep Mor looks like Arjun Halappa. Long hair and almost a similar running style, slightly more bent from the waist. It’s also Mor who would want to hold sway on the right flank along with defensive duties. Mor had a great game against New Zealand, one of the players who cut off the Kiwis in the 3rd and 4th quarter.

Australia’s Tom Craig and Trent Mitton lead the scorers chart with 4 and 3 goals each. For India, Harmanpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh have two goals each. Both have good midfields and it’s the strikers and defensive structures that would hold together both the teams.

The Azlan Shah 2016 is a memory that the Indian team would want to erase. In the pool match against Australia they lost 1-5 and then in the final, Australia again put in four goals past the Indian team. One believes the defensive play has got better but it’s the strike force that needs to put in the chances. Hopefully, we would see SV Sunil come back into some kind of form today.

Both the teams are warming up. Weather could be a deciding factor. But both Aussies and India are used to the heat. It’s the humidity that might bother them. India would want to play better than what they did in the last edition.

Welcome to the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament, Day 3

Today is an extremely crucial match for both India and Australia. A win for either side will bolster their chances of a berth in the final. Two matches after this still to go but these two sides are the strongest in the competition.

Teams:

India:

Harmanpreet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Gurinder Kumar, Manpreet Singh (captain), Mandeep Singh, P Sreejesh (GK), Harjeet Singh, Pardeep Mor, SV Sunil, Chinglensana.

Australia:

Tom Craig, Matt Dawson, Jeremy Edwards, Eddie Ockenden, Jake Whetton, Matthew Swann (Captain), Flynn Ogilvie, Tyler Lovell (GK), Trent Mitton, Dtlan Wotherspoon, Jeremy Hayward

Hello and welcome to the Live coverage of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup where India take on Australia. Roelant Oltmans men will be keen to conteinue their unbeaten run in the competition, but against a strong Australian team, it will be easier said than done. So stick around for all Live scores and updates from the game