Indian men’s hockey team lose to New Zealand, out of gold race

Not only the poor conversion but defensive lapses too played a huge rule in India’s defeat, which means the silver medallist from the last two editions will now fight in the bronze medal play-off.

Hugo Inglis, Stephen Jenness and Marcus Child scored for New Zealand in the first three quarters. Harmanpreet Singh scored both the goals for India, converting a penalty stroke before finding the net on the eighth penalty corner.

In the fast-paced first quarter, India had first chance to take lead but Mandeep Singh missed out and the team made it worse for itself by fluffing a penalty corner.

The Kiwis though did not miss their chance as forward Hugo Inglis sounded the board with a furious reverse hit. An inexplicable defence lapse allowed Stephen Jenness to double the New Zealand lead.

“The story of the tournament is that we have had enough penalty corners. We created enough chances but we didn’t score off those. If you see today, we were in the circle of opponent for 32 times and they countered 14 times. They scored 3 but we only scored 2. The game is about scoring the goals and we don’t do that enough,” a disappointed coach Sjoerd Marijne said after the match.

The Indian team struggled to penetrate the New Zealand defence. New Zealand earned its first penalty corner in the second quarter but PR Sreejesh thwarted the attempt, saving the team from conceding a 0-3 lead.

Another penalty corner was awarded to New Zealand when the umpire ruled that Jenness was fouled inside the striking circle. However, the Indians got the decision overturned by taking a video referral.

SV Sunil attempted an ambitious strike from the near post but his shot hit the vertical.

Late in the second quarter, Sumit, charging from the right flank, was felled by a Kiwi defender and Indian team was awarded a penalty corner. Kiwi custodian stopped the first shot but on rebound, Akashdeep’s shot hit the shoulder of a Kiwi defender, resulting in India getting a penalty stroke.

Harmanpreet converted the penalty stroke to reduce the lead at the half-time.

Sunil earned a penalty corner for his side early in the third quarter but India squandered the chance to get an equaliser.