India leaves Canada dry

SYDNEY, SEPT 22: India bounced back from a string of defeats to score a fighting 3-2 win over Canada and begin the second leg of the four...

SYDNEY, SEPT 22: India bounced back from a string of defeats to score a fighting 3-2 win over Canada and begin the second leg of the four-nation men8217;s hockey tournament today on a victorious note. Anwar Khan struck an early first half goal and India regained the lead through Deepak Thakur8217;s acrobatic goal after veteran Peter Malkovich struck the first of his two goals to equalise.

Talented forward Gagan Ajit Singh sealed victory by making it 3-1 with three minutes left before Malkovich found his second goal, but the result helped India avenge their 1-2 defeat against the Americans which had pushed them to the bottom in the first leg in Canberra, reports Association Press of Australia AAP.

Chief coach Vasudevan Baskaran was a relieved man after his team shone well on the opening day of the Sydney International Hockey Challenge at the Homebush Facility. 8220;We wanted this victory badly because we have not been winning in the last few months,8221; said Baskaran. 8220;Obviously, now we are in a better shape forthe matches to come,8221; said the former Indian skipper.

A direct qualifier for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, India beat Canada with a counter-attacking game but Baskaran still had concerns about the number of errors committed which let Canada back into the game and wanted tighter control against Australia tomorrow.

The second match between Australia and South Korea was washed out due to heavy rain. Determined to overcome their poor performance in Canada which saw them lose all three matches, the Indians played a tighter game against the Canadians.

The Asian Games champions who have struggled to maintain their status at the world level in their build-up to the Sydney Games had also lost to Canada in last year8217;s Utrecht World Cup. India went ahead early with the only goal of the first half through Anwar Khan.

Canada8217;s 32-year-old captain Peter Milkovich, a veteran of over 240 Tests, equalised with a smart deflection midway through the second half but India went ahead again when Deepak Thakur produced abrilliant diving, backhanded smash from the top of the circle.

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Ajit Singh effectively made the game safe with a breakaway field goal with three minutes remaining but Milkovich added a penalty corner goal to reduce the margin in the final minute.

Milkovich was critical of his team8217;s effort.

8220;That8217;s a very disappointing display. To build a good team for the Olympics we have to build consistency and today8217;s was not a consistent effort.8221;