India vs Argentina Highlights, FIH Pro League hockey: Harmanpreet Singh’s hat-trick leads India to thrilling 5-4 win

IND 0-1 ARG

IND 1-1 ARG

IND 2-1 ARG

IND 2-2 ARG

IND 3-2 ARG

IND 4-2 ARG

IND 5-2 ARG

IND 5-3 ARG

IND 5-4 ARG

Sukhjeeet Singh: It's a good game for us as we scored field goals as well as set pieces. We played well in the four games, improved as per the coach's advise on our structures. 

Player of the match: Sukhjeet Singh. 

Della Torre: We start quite well, first 5-6 mins. Our level dropped after that, they got our mistakes. (About the comeback) Sometimes it is not about tactics, about heart, but it wasn't enough in the end. It was a good week, 2 wins vs Ireland and a draw against Ireland, we played good hockey. 

INDIA HANG ON! WHAT A WIN. An absolute thriller for hockey fans (maybe not so for hockey coaches!). India finally end their recent win drought. No wins in Australia, no wins so far in Antwerp... and that wait ends. 

It's India ball now deep in Argentina territory and that should be it. 

Argentina have taken off their goalkeeper Santiago. Can India hang on? We are into the last minute. 

Just over 2 mins left. Are we in for another Indian draw? Surely not? What a match. 

WOW WOW! What a finish we have in store. Lucas Martinez what a goal! Receives the aerial superbly and turns and shoots. The ball goes through Jugraj and then through Sreejesh. Really lethargic defending from India all around. 

No reason to change the decision says the video umpire, and is 5-3 with 6 mins to go! Not over yet it seems. Marcucci given the goal. 

Have Argentina scored another here? The recycling of possession after the PC results in another spell of pressure. Sreejesh with a really good save but Argentina put the ball in the back of the net after a rebound. But India have reviewed this. 

A PC for Argentina, India somehow deal with that threat but the pressure remains on their defence. 

That's another hat-trick for Indian captain. One drag flick and two penalty strokes. A good night's work for him. 

Araijeet Singh wins a penalty stroke. After great work by Araijeet Singh to get in front of his defender, he is fouled, Stroke given and Harmanpreet Singh goes high into the roof of the net. 

It's not just his goal, but Araijeet's general forward plays have been really really good tonight. A lovely run down the middle and releases a good pass, knows how to play that too. 

HARMANPREET SINGH: No mistake from the Indian captain from the stroke and that is the cushion that India have been wanting, and missing, for a while. With 10 mins to go, that's a lead that India should really hold on to.

Penalty stroke stays! And Argentina lose their referral. 

Penalty stroke to India! Harmanpreet's shot on goal is saved and the rebound causes a melee. India are given the stroke but Argentina think it's not. Review.

Harmanpreet Singh with a lovely shoulder feint and his pass into the circle is controlled well by Raj Kumar Pal who does well to win a PC. 

Manpreet Singh at the edge of the circle, not something you see often. Perhaps a sign that Fulton is still going for that cushion. Not sitting on 3-2 

Another lovely long pass along the turf from the right, this time from Jarmanpreet and it evades Abhishek. 

If you are wondering about Akashdeep not being involved, the camera zooms in on him having an icepack on his left hamstring / knee region. That could be bad news for him. 

That really was a great save by Santiago on replays. Oh, another chance for India before the hooter goes, Raj Kumar's shot on goal is blocked off well as India worked the ball well into the circle.

CHANCE INDIA! Are they going to regret these missed opportunities? India should have been well ahead here. Another brilliant breakaway, Gurjant finds Hardik down the left byline in space. Sukhjeet with a diving poke towards goal and it is saved by Santiago. 

A very detailed explanation and the video umpire says she is unable to say it is inside or outside the circle, so Argentina keep their referral. 

Mihir Vasavda: So Sreejesh gets one full half in the last two matches and two full games previously. Craig not making it a mystery as to who'll be the first-choice goalie in Paris.

Oh India are going on a breakaway but the play is pulled back! Because Argentina have opted for a replay, reviewing a close call for PC at the edge of the circle. A lot of replays needed here. Two things to see, whether it hit Sumit on the foot and whether it is inside the circle 

Argentina keep coming down the left flank... another similar attempt and it is dealt with by Indian defence. Argentina pressure at the moment. 

Sreejesh is back in goal now for the second half, and he is called into action! Nearly identical point of shooting as Argentina's 2nd goal but Sreejesh has his angles covered. 

Gurjant Singh with good work down the right byline, great dribbling, the ball is cut back in but it goes over Araijeet after a deflection. 

CHANCE INDIA! Harmanpreet Singh's drag flick is saved by Santiago's foot, the ball falls to Hardik who should score. But what a block on the line! Argentina players are celebrating that almost on audio. That was heading in before the late stick intervention (not quite sure by who) 

Another PC for India. Araijeet with another neat little pass going forward at pace, and Abhishek with some great shoulder feints to earn the foul and it is a short corner for India. 

Interesting that Fulton called it cagey, perhaps he meant in the nature of not being high quality from either side in terms of ball retention. It's end-to-end now. 

Another chance for India in a goalmouth scramble, but looks like the ball hit Hardik's foot. Two big chances in quick succession for India.

The second half begins with Argentina possession. Shortly after, Lalit with a stunning pass into the circle and Abhishek controls it well, makes space and then unleashes a powerful strike! Unfortunately the ball is over the goal. That is a big miss! 

The Argentine players are back out very early, after an angry half time team talk. Fulton seems rather pleased and relaxed. Let's see, there should be an Argentine reaction right away you imagine. 

Argentine assistant coach: The head coach was angry because of the mistakes. We need to be better, we can still be in the match. 

Fulton, India coach: 'We needed another 2 (PCs), it's been a cagey game, a slow counterattack game. We need to be better zonal. The response has been good, we got 2 corners and scored 1. But have an half to go'

Fulton repeatedly speaks about defence and structure and risk-rewards... not sure he'd be happy with conceding those two goals. But going forward, it has been largely impressive. 

Mihir Vasavda: The PC finally works. Personally, I like games like these where the defences are a bit open and goals are flowing. But before Paris, wish to see watertight Indian defence, it'll be the key one imagines.

And Harmanpreet Singh gets on the scoresheet: The Indian captain's mini goal-drought comes to an end. This is a well-struck drag flick alright but it takes a wicked deflection and leaves the goalkeeper with no chance. 

Araijeet Singh Hundal continues to impress, and very casually with a pass onto the Argentine defender's foot. 

Three minutes to go in the half, India are sitting deeper here. 

Nicolas Keenan score. Amit rushes well again but this time the angle has been changed by Argentina, and the ball deflects to Keenan who slides the ball into the net. 

Amit Rohidas, who's drag flick was rushed out, rushes out superbly as he almost always does. But it is a retake. And Amit does it again! Another retake. Amit Rohidas rushes out AGAIN! Three times. Wow. 

A green card for Manpreet Singh, the commentators are not sure how it happened. But India have gone down to 10, and now concede a PC. 

Mihir Vasavda: The best part about that goal was that little pass from Sukhjeet. He's been coming up with such little gems time and again over the last year or so, consistently creating opportunities and scoring some himself, like he did against Belgium.

GURJANT SINGH: What a superb move that is. After a spell of patient possession, India upped the tempo. Sukhjeet with a superb reverse pace in the circle to Abhishek who lays the ball down on a platter to Gurjant Singh in front of an empty goal. 

India keeping the ball in their own half for now, but Jugraj nearly loses the possession twice in dangerous areas. They try to switch up the pace quickly now.

Well, that was fun! India stung early by a good Argentina move. But they have responded well, equalised through a superb goal by Araijeet and have also dominated possession since. 

CHANCE! Amit Rohidas to take this drag flick in the second battery, the shot is rushed out well (he'd approve that). But Nilakanta runs out on to the rebound and gets a diving shot on goal but it is wide. 

A penalty corner for India. Lalita and Akashdeep combine really well down the left byline. Akash eventually finds the foot. 

PCs have been a concern. Can India find a goal here? 

Surely Araijeet Singh Hundal must be on the plane to Paris? Impressed briefly in Australia. Impressed against Belgium, now a super goal against Argentina.

India have settled into this match and are dominating possession at the moment. Moving the ball well from side to side.

Mihir Vasavda: Indian forwards aren't comfortable taking shots  with their backs at the goal, Fulton had told The Indian Express a while ago. That's one way to show the coach they're learning it. What a strike by Hundal. Field goal ratio has been the biggest plus of this tour.

This is from our Craig Fulton interview recently and this is exactly what Araijeet did:

"A lot of the time Indian players like to face the goal to score goals while a lot of the Europeans, don’t face the goal to take shots. They have their back towards the goal and they’re hitting through the defender. It’s very difficult to defend" 

Araijeet Singh Hundal! What a goal that is. Harmanpreet with a superb aerial from defence, Gurjant brings it down and lays the ball back to Araijeet who takes a superb shot with his back to goal and it is in. 

Mihir Vasavda: "The ease with which Argentina are entering India's 'D' is alarming. India's defence is one of its biggest weaknesses and coach Fulton doesn't have a lot of time to plug it."

A lot of inquisitive Indian faces after that goal, they were just sliced open so easily there. 

Federico Monja scores! Oh that's a punch in the gut for the Indian team early on. Della Torre with a superb aerial ball, it is controlled well and the ball into the danger area beats all Indian defenders and Monja deflects it in.