India vs Great Britain Highlights, FIH Pro League Hockey: Harmanpreet Singh and Co lose three in a row, go down 2-3

India's London leg started in fine fashion with a 3-0 win but since then they have lost three in a row. A somewhat tame end to the Pro League season and they will return to India with plenty to work on. 

Mihir Vasavda: India's poor tour of England ends. Unless Fulton has something really special up his sleeve, something he's been holding back (and there's a good reason to believe he might be) there would be reasons for India to be worried. But you'd assume the Indian team will look a lot different in Paris.

Harmanpreet Singh: In every game we always learn. Today we played very well, we created and converted well today. It's a good lesson before Olympics. It's been a long time where we have worked in our camps. We are fit, we trust the process, and we are good to go I think. 

Player of the match is the man who rifled a thunderbolt past Pathak, Jack Waller: We are delighted with the 3 points, our goal is to win the Pro League and so all points are vital. Not the best of performances. Pro League matters to us, we want to build some momentum going into the Summer. Just wanted to hit the ball as possibly I could go, I don't get many but hopefully that helps win the Pro League. 

SANFORD GIVETH, SANFORD TAKETH AWAY: He conceded the PC but he rushes out superbly to keep Harmanpreet's strike away and India's chance goes begging. GBR can now run the clock down.

PC INDIA: Sanford is deemed to have played the ball behind deliberately and Shamsher wins a PC for India. GBR review but that was in hope more than anything. Can India pull off a draw? 

Sam Ward nearly goes all the way without a goalkeeper for India, but Amit and Jarmanpreet combine brilliantly to tackle that. 

INDIA REVIEW: Sukhjeet celebrating an equaliser but the whistle has gone before the strike was taken. Manpreet reviews it immediately, says there is a stick tackle on him. But review doesn't change the fate of that. 

A little while before that, Payne made a save as good as the one we saw from Sreejesh earlier. This one off Sukhjeet Singh with a fine strike on goal. 

With 5 mins and change to go, after GBR nearly go 2 goals up, India have taken their keeper off. Pathak walks off, India going for broke with 11 outfield players. 

Mihir Vasavda: I was just going to say India been defending well. But the manner in which they lost the ball, allowed Britain to run inside the D from the right and ease with which Sumit was wrong-footed... India will be disappointed

FORSYTH SCORES: Intense pressure on India's deep defence. Harmanpreet put in a fine tackle on Ward but the latter keeps going, India missed a fair few tackles there. Morton turns around and takes a shot, Forsyth gets the touch into the net. India trail with under 10 mins to go. 

WATCH: It looked good in real time, but wait for the replay. What. A. Save.

Mindblowing reflexes from Sreejesh to keep India level! ?@16Sreejesh pulls a stunning stick save off Zach Wallace’s penalty stroke as both teams head into half-time tied at 1-1. #FIHProLeague

? 2nd half starting NOW! Stream the game LIVE on https://t.co/igjqkvA4ct /… pic.twitter.com/PUl9oRvKys

— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) June 9, 2024

An ultra fast attacking GBR move after a lull in play due to a medical timeout. Amit Rohidas with a fine tackle deep in India's defence. And shortly after, the hooter goes! Are we heading for another 2-2 draw featuring India? 

Mihir Vasavda: The difference between someone like a Sukhjeet and Mandeep is when the former goes for deflection, his hands are touching the turf, allowing the stick to be completely grounded to connect with the ball. Mandeep, if you look at that chance, doesn't bend enough and there's a gap between the stick and turf. The ball simply rolls under the stick then.

WHAT A STRIKE: Jack Waller with an absolute ripper. Well worked move into the circle, Waller makes room for himself and unleashes a strike into the roof of the net from an acute angle. Pathak in goal now and he had no chance. 

Mihir Vasavda: That would have taken off a head or two. What a shot by Waller, wouldn't want to be a goalkeeper trying to save it.

Mihir Vasavda: What reaction from Manpreet after that stroke was given. Fulton has a big smile, a quick low-five. Lovely review.

Harmanpreet Singh makes no mistake. He puts India into the lead early in the third quarter. 

STROKE AFTER INDIA REVIEW: Shamsher with a ball into the circle, Manpreet Singh takes a swing at a high ball and misses but he falls down. Mandeep finishes it but the whistle has gone against India. Manpreet immediately reviews and thinks it is a stroke. INDIA GET THE STROKE. 

Lots of endeavor from both sides early on this quarter but despite end-to-end hockey, no clear chances yet. Also in the halftime, we were informed that Jugraj Singh was inactive in the first half, once again Fulton trying to simluate Olympic playing conditions with 15 outfield players.  

Mihir Vasavda: Worth noting that most field goal assists have been between the new-ish guys: Gurjant, Sukhjeet, Shamsher, Hundal. Very minimal from Mandeep, Lalit etc. Maybe they contribute in other ways that isn't evident on TV, got to understand that if at all.

GB coach: We asked the team to respond after yesterday and an early goal was the perfect to do it. India have come back into this. They have been pacy. We just need solid defence (to slow down India), need to stick with what we set up early. 

India coach Fulton: Just scoreboard pressure (on how India came back), it's not a great start, did it again. It was good. Lovely save from Sree and it has set up nicely for the 2nd half. 

An India-Great Britain hockey match is rarely ever dull is it? So much happened in that first half! But we go into the half time with nothing to separate the two teams. India were stung early by Roper but they steadied themselves and got back into it with a fine Sukhjeet goal. They could have been trailing but Sreejesh with a stunning save. 

STROKE GIVEN, STROKE MISSED: An aerial into the box, Sanjay's approach towards Bandurak is deemed deliberate and a stroke is given. India are unhappy but don't refer it either. Sreejesh then comes up with a stunner of a save from Wallace's strike towards the top corner. He loved it, gives stick-5s to his defenders. 

#Hockey #FIHProLeague

PR SREEJESH, YOU CRAZY MAN!

India are unhappy with a penalty stroke given for an aerial infringement (mad rule!). But Sreejesh then comes up with an INCREDIBLE save to his right. That is sensational reflex. And he loved it. https://t.co/lVtqg9Efkx pic.twitter.com/nM09ZKs3oi

— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) June 9, 2024

A green card for Manpreet for a rash tackle to prevent a FB counter. India will have to deal with pressure here and Amit is immediately called into action down the middle. great interception 

Sukhjeet Singh believes in miracles. His career, the forward insists, is one.

Today, he wheels away even before the ball reaches him, slipping past defenders, receiving, dodging, scoring and setting up his teammates. Six summers ago, he couldn’t even get out of his bed without someone’s help.

“Bilkul he toot chuka tha mein (I was completely broken),” Sukhjeet says.

The 27-year-old is in a cozy hotel room in London, where India begin a Pro League mini-tournament against Germany and Britain on Saturday. His roommate is former India captain Manpreet Singh, one of the most impactful players of this generation. “I am sharing a room with someone I used to see on TV,” he says.

Sukhjeet, who scored and assisted during the Belgium leg of the Pro League, isn’t being fan-boyish, although he can’t stop gushing about Manpreet’s ‘vision and scoops’. But in truth, he is only humble about his journey.

None of this – playing for India, sharing a room with a former captain, scoring goals – seemed possible mid-2018, when he was escorted out of the Amritsar airport in a wheelchair.

Read more here by Mihir Vasavda.

WHAT A GOAL THAT IS: Lalit with a good run through middle, carrying the ball well and waiting to release the pass to Gurjant to his left. Gurjant then unleashes a reverse hit but it might be heading wide... and then Sukhjeet is there! Puts in a superb dive to deflect the ball in.

Amit Rohidas with a lovely interception to release Hardik but he is stopped in midfield. India keep pushing forward but no outcome from that move. 

Great review by India! Sanjay did superbly to get his glove on that. That was heading for his face. It is not a stroke, not even a PC. Free out for India. 

Waller drives into the Indian circle at pace, Harmanpreet is stationary and he conedes a PC. India need to keep this 0-1... Bandurak with the shot on goal and Sanjay is hit on the line! A stroke is given. India review. 

India have been alright since conceding early. On the brighter (and lighter) side, all these poor starts in the Pro League will at least help deal with fighting back from behind in Paris. Here we go then, the second quarter starts. 

That's the end of the first quarter as India throw another aerial at the fag end but Raj Kumar is unable to control it. So despite some good play in that quarter, India are behind thanks to another awful start. 

CHANCE INDIA: Hardik Singh steadies himself to control a looping ball and gets a shot away from the edge of the circle! He had space there and for a player of his quality you'd think he would make the goalie work. It goes wide. 

Mihir Vasavda looks ahead: I do feel Fulton'll add Raheel to the squad as a surprise package. Maybe I'm just hoping against hope.

India have been steady since conceding early. A half chance for Mandeep down the left byline after good work by Sukhjeet. But Payne saves. Mandeep had to cut it back to the forward instead of going for goal from that angle. 

The short corner routine breaks down. Has happened a few times in recent weeks. Very unlike Manpreet, to mistrap. India try to work out a chance by recycling possession but Harman can't quite get the pass right. Down the other end, nearly a big chance for GBR. Bandurak with a chance at the far post but it goes past him. 

That is a massive aerial into the GBR circle (missed who played it, likely Harmanpreet). Raj Kumar Pal doesn't have much support but does well to trap it and win a PC. 

Mihir Vasavda: Jarmanpreet is a big player and can impose himself effortlessly. But he concedes the physical advantage with some very basic errors. His mistrapping, which is becoming a habit, has often halted India's attacking momentum.

Payne in goal for this match, not Mazarelo. GBR also have two brilliant goalkeepers. Harmanpreet's shot on goal is at a good height to save it off his left glove. 

PC for India, Shamsher nearly breaks into a celebration. India have a chance to hit back quickly. 

Mihir Vasavda joins in: India do exactly what Fulton didn't want them to: an early goal. Fulton said in his pre-match interview that he wasn't happy with India's starts and the habit of conceding early goals. His team comes out moments later and allows a goal inside the first minute. Very poor start once again for India

Craig Fulton wanted a better start. Nope, not happening again. Another super early goal conceded, India go down 0-1 in the first minute. Acres of pace for Roper down the left flank, just one simple pass that cuts open India. Poor defending. Shot is powerful, no chance for Sreejesh. 

It's nearly 0-2  a minute later. Sreejesh with a massive double-save. YIKES.

#Hockey #FIHProLeague

Slightly worrying that there is no Abhishek today as well. Hope nothing serious. Araijeet continues to feature, think he is now firmly on track for a place to Paris (at least hope so!)#INDvGBR (M) blog here if you are interested: https://t.co/lVtqg9Efkx pic.twitter.com/3r98iRrR5B

— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) June 9, 2024

Our starting XI are ready to shine on the field against Great Britain today! ?

Don't forget to watch the match live on @JioCinema and @Sports18 . ?#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame #FIHProLeague #IndiaMensTeam
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— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) June 9, 2024

Britain coach Paul Revington: We need to move on quickly from yesterday (against Australia), we need to improve things with and without the ball. The traditional Indian strengths will be the ball going directly to the D, lot of deep defence needed. Need to be better with the ball than yesterday. 

India coach Craig Fulton: That didn't really happen last week, we got more cards than them. It's always nice to play a home nation. Yesterday (vs Germany) was close, could have gone either way at the death. We got one big push left. Let's see how we go. Our starts... we haven't started well, we have been 0-2 twice in a week. We need to keep it a lot closer and push hard in the end. 

Indian Men’s Hockey Team:
Goalkeepers:  PR Sreejesh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak

Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay, Jugraj Singh, Vishnukant Singh

Midfielders: Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Manpreet Singh, Shamsher Singh, Hardik Singh, Rajkumar Pal, Mohd. Raheel Mouseen

Forwards: Mandeep Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Gurjant Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Boby Singh Dhami

Germany had to work to the final second to end a seven-match losing streak against India with a riveting 3-2 win. The Germans had the perfect start, Gonzalo Peillat firing them ahead with a drag flick in the second minute. They went on to dominate the quarter and Christopher Rühr added a field goal on his return to action after tearing his ACL in January. India then fought their way back in the second quarter and Harmanpreet Singh’s 19th-minute drag flick made it 2-1 at half time.

The Germans controlled the third quarter and restored their two-goal cushion with another Peillat drag flick, but Sukhjeet Singh’s diving deflection at the post in the 48th minute kept the Indians in touch. There was late drama from an Indian overhead to the p-spot in the dying seconds, but desperate defence kept both ensuing shots out and Germany’s hunt for the FIH Hockey Pro League title remains very much alive.

(VIA FIH Media)

There were many different things Fulton tried on Saturday compared to the previous weekend, when they beat Germany and lost to Britain the following day. In the goal, Krishan Pathak played a rare full match with PR Sreejesh restricted to the bench. In the midfield, Raj Kumar Pal and Vivek Sagar Prasad made way for Shamsher Singh and Raheel Mohammad while up front, Abhishek – one of the standout players on this tour – was dropped, with Lalit Upadhyay getting a chance.

The experimenting didn’t stop there. Defender Jarmanpreet Singh wasn’t used for the entire first half and at times, it felt like Fulton was simulating different scenarios for the Paris Olympics. When asked about this in the half-time interview, the South African simply replied: “(It’s a) top secret.”

What isn’t top secret, however, is India’s tendency to make mistakes. For all the improvements they’ve made of late, including the goal-scorers finding their touch, India have been guilty of making one too many errors, which overshadow all their other hard work.

On Saturday, two such mistakes led to Germany scoring goals.

Read more by Mihir Vasavda here.

Continuing their irresistible-occasionally-frustrating-sometimes run of form, Indian men were outplayed in the first and third quarters but in the second and fourth, they took the fight to Germany with high, aggressive pressing. Individual errors and lack of quality in the final third, however, meant they succumbed a 3-2 loss. 

Read more by Mihir Vasavda here.

Savita Punia: These are the results what we want. We are upset about today's result. We came back from a goal down, we needed to be calm in the end. When we came here, we have to play attacking hockey. The 4 matches in Belgium, we were defensive. We did that in London, but of course our defence needs to better. It means a lot to Indian hockey that we keep our place in the Pro League, because otherwise we don't get enough matches. Not happy with performances, but happy that we remain the Pro League. 

AH, A TOUGH REPEAT: Grace Balsdon breaks Indian hearts again! She scored the winner in Tokyo that gave GB the bronze medal. She scores two late goals today to prevent this Indian side from winning their first match under Harendra Singh. 

What a heartbreaking way to end what has been a few heartbreaking months for the Indian women's hockey team. A solid performance today but still not enough to end their run of defeats. 8 in a row. 

That's a real punch in the gut for India that. To not even get a point from this match would be gutting. India want a PC here late on but the review goes against them. Harendra has a wry smile. Last minute. 

TURNAROUND COMPLETE: Oh dear, all the great work by India in deep defence and two moments of Balsdon brilliance has turned it around for the hosts. Savita beaten well to her right and India have been pegged back. 

Sunelita is no match for Owlsey's physicality, and she concedes a PC.

WOW, what timing: Grace Balsdon is the player who apparently came on after they subbed the goalie out and she scores immediately from the PC. Fine shot, Indian defence beaten well. 

Jess Buchanan is coming off the pitch, GBR go on the offensive with 11 outfield players. And immediately they win a PC. 

Not enough venom from that penalty corner attempt, Vaishnavi does superbly to rush out and clear the danger. India have a chance to counter with Sunelita but GB win back possession. 

Oh, a really poor pass attempted from the left byline by Jyoti Chhatri and it puts the Indian defence under immense pressure. GB want a PC, refer this... and they get a PC for dangerous play in the circle.