Pro Hockey League 2020: P Sreejesh leads India’s win in 2nd leg

Thanks to brilliance by P Sreejesh in the penalty shootouts, India defeated Australia in the 2^nd leg of the Pro Hockey League match played at Kalinga Stadium, Bhuvneshwar on Saturday.

Australia got off to a fast start as they earned a penalty corner less than 30 seconds which was well saved by P Sreejesh with his pad. The Australian team  With 8 minutes and 4 seconds remaining, Australia earned 2 successive penalty corners. The 2^nd penalty corner was smacked by Sharp into a goal, but India decided to review, and the goal was disallowed. In the 12th minute, Australia were awarded the penalty corner and Manpreet Singh decided to review the decision. Hayward hit a strong shot but saved by P Sreejesh. The scores remained 0-0 at the end of first quarter.

It could have been an ideal start for India as a brilliant pass from Rohidas but Jarmanpreet missed a chance to score the goal. In the 3^rd minute, a penalty corner shot by Hayward which was deemed high and India had ball. Trent Milton scored field goal in the 23^rd minute as the ball went under the keeper to give Australia 1-0 lead. India levelled with a brilliant penalty corner drag flick shot by Rupinder Pal Singh in the 25^th minute. 2 minutes later, Harmanpreet Singh scored from a penalty corner which gave India 2-1 lead and maintained the lead till the first half.

It was an ideal start for Australia in the 3^rd quarter as they earned 2 successive penalty corners. The umpire gave a penalty stroke and Tim Brand hit the shot wide. Indian captain Manpreet Singh got a green card. Both teams had chances to score a goal but did not convert. At the end of third quarter, the scores remained 2-1 in favour of India.

Zalewski scored a brilliant field goal in the 46^th minute to level the scores at 2-2. It was a superb effort by both teams who had chances of scoring goals. With 11 seconds remaining, Australia earned a penalty corner and decided to review the decision. The umpire upheld the decision and the scores remained 2-2.

In the penalty shootout, Beale took the first shot from Australia and P Sreejesh did a foul to give the visitors penalty stroke. Dawson converted penalty stroke to give visitors 1-0 lead. Harmanpreet Singh converted it into a goal to level the shootout at 1-1. The second shot was fouled by Sreejesh and was awarded 2^nd penalty stroke which was missed by Beale. Vivek Prasad and Lalit Upadhyay hit the shot for India. Beale and Ephramus shots were saved P Sreejesh . Jake Harvey hit the goal after 8 seconds to give India 3-1 win and a bonus point.

India will play their fourth-round matches against Germany on 25^th and 26^th April in Berlin.