Indian men's hockey team will take on world No.2 Australia in the second game of the tie in the Men's FIH Pro League at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. India lost 3-4 to defending champions Australia but not before they put up a spirited display in their first match on Friday.
India were down 1-4 before the final quarter but rallied to pull back as they sounded the board twice only to run out of time in the end. Dylan Wotherspoon (6th minute), Tom Wickham (18th), Lachlan Sharp (41st) and Jacob Anderson (42nd) scored four field goals for the winners while Raj Kumar Pal (36th, 47th) and Rupinder Pal Singh (52nd) netted for the hosts.
Australia moved up to the third position in the standings with nine points from five games, while India remained a spot behind with eight points from as many games. India have already defeated world champions Belgium and world No.3 Netherlands in the tournament so far, both the results coming at home.
"I think we are quite disappointed because we didn't start well, conceding three goals. In the fourth quarter we came back and actually played our game, and because of that we scored two goals. I think we didn't create many chances in the first three quarters but in the last quarter we did, so we need to come back [strong] for tomorrow's match," India captain Manpreet Singh said after the first match.
Australia's Lachlan Sharp, who was named Player of the Match, said that he was "definitely disappointed" with the final quarter, but was pleased with the overall performance and was quick to comment about the strength and depth of the Kookaburras squad.
"It [the fourth quarter] was not what we wanted, but to have a good defence in the end and hold them out, it was a good win. We have a squad of 27 who can step up on their day and play their role. I think we showed that tonight. The Kalinga Stadium is always a great place to play, we love the support of the Indian crowd, so thank you for that."
India play host to Australia on February 21 and 22, after which they will move for away games in Germany (April 25 and 26) and England (May 2 and 3). The match against New Zealand is scheduled for May 23 and 24 in India, while the team will fly again to Argentina for matches on June 5 and 6.
Where will be the Hockey Pro League match between India and Australia be played?
The Hockey Pro League match between India and Australia will be played at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
When will the Hockey Pro League India vs Australia match start?
The Hockey Pro League India vs Australia match will start at 7 PM IST on Saturday, February 22.
Where to watch live broadcast (TV channel) of the Hockey Pro League India vs Australia match?
The India vs Australia Hockey Pro League match will be live on Star Sports 3 and Star Sports 3HD.
Where to live stream the India vs Australia Hockey Pro League match online?
Both the Hockey Pro League India vs Australia match can be live-streamed online on Hotstar.
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