The Indian Men’s Hockey Team delivered a powerful performance, defeating Pakistan 7-1 in their FIH Pro League reverse fixture in London. The match, held at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, saw India overcome an early deficit to secure a comprehensive win, extending their dominance over their rivals.
Despite Pakistan scoring first, India responded with seven goals from various players. Sukhjeet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Jugraj Singh, Abhishek, Raj Kumar Pal, and Dilpreet Singh all contributed to the scoreline. Midfielder Hardik Singh was recognised as the ‘Player of the Match’ for his influential role in the midfield.
First Quarter Action and Pakistan’s Early Lead
The game began with both teams showing high intensity. India quickly earned a penalty corner within the first 90 seconds, initiated by a run from Mandeep Singh. However, India’s initial pushes did not yield a goal. Pakistan, through dangerous counter-attacks, earned a penalty corner in the 13th minute.
Following an unsuccessful video referral by India, Pakistan captain Abu Bakar Mahmood converted the penalty corner with a drag-flick, giving his team a 1-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. India had dominated territory but struggled to convert their early opportunities, including three penalty corners.
India’s Second Quarter Comeback
India took command in the second quarter, utilising precise long passes to stretch Pakistan’s defence. Pakistan faced a setback in the 18th minute when a deflected pass from Ali Ghazanfar accidentally struck teammate Ahmad Nadeem, forcing him off the field due to a facial injury. Pakistan coach Khawaja Muhammad Junaid noted that Nadeem would require an X-ray and that this was the fourth injury for the team.
India capitalised on this momentum, earning a penalty corner a minute later. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh fired a powerful drag-flick, which Sukhjeet Singh expertly deflected into the net in the 20th minute, levelling the score at 1-1. Just six minutes later, India won another penalty corner, and Harmanpreet Singh directly smashed it into the top left corner, giving India a 2-1 lead heading into halftime. This marked a turnaround for Harmanpreet, who had reportedly struggled with penalty corner conversions in recent matches.
Dominance in the Second Half
The ‘Men in Blue’ significantly increased their dominance in the second half, particularly in the third quarter. In the 34th minute, India earned consecutive penalty corners, with the second leading to a penalty stroke. Hardik Singh calmly converted the stroke, extending India’s lead to 3-1. Pakistan attempted to respond, winning two penalty corners, but the Indian defence successfully blocked both attempts.
Following the successful defence of Pakistan’s second penalty corner, India launched a rapid counter-attack. Dilpreet Singh combined effectively with Sukhjeet Singh, setting up Jugraj Singh to score in the 35th minute, making it 4-1. India’s frontline continued its relentless pressure, with Sukhjeet Singh creating another opportunity in the 41st minute, passing to Abhishek, who scored on the run to push the lead to 5-1.
Late in the third quarter, India earned four consecutive penalty corners. On the fourth attempt, Raj Kumar Pal reacted quickly to guide the rebound from Harmanpreet’s drag-flick into the open goal in the 44th minute, further extending the lead to 6-1. India scored four goals in this devastating 15-minute spell, taking complete control of the match.
Maintaining Intensity and Final Score
In the final quarter, India maintained its defensive discipline while continuing to seek further scoring opportunities. Pakistan attempted to find a way back into the game, but India’s defence remained well-organised, effectively dealing with their penalty corner routines. India’s continued pressure resulted in a seventh goal in the 54th minute, when Mandeep Singh burst down the left flank and picked out Dilpreet Singh, who controlled a bouncing ball and finished from close range, capping off an excellent team move.
Pakistan earned back-to-back penalty corners in the closing minutes of the game, but veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh stood firm, blocking both attempts and preserving India’s emphatic 7-1 victory. The win is considered one of India’s biggest against Pakistan in recent years and provides a significant boost ahead of their final Pro League fixture against England on Sunday, June 28.
This commanding performance also saw India climb to seventh place on the points table, moving above Spain and Pakistan. The match highlighted marked improvements in India’s penalty corner conversion and defensive organisation, areas that had been under scrutiny in recent matches.
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Source: hockeyindia.org
Arjun Sharma
Sports Reporter