Vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh slammed a hat-trick because the Indian males’s hockey workforce beat Wales 4-1 in its closing Pool B match to qualify for the semifinals of the Commonwealth Games on Thursday.
Harmanpreet (nineteenth, twentieth, fortieth minutes) transformed two penalty corners and scored one from the spot whereas Gurjant Singh struck a subject purpose within the forty ninth minute for India.Wales’ lone purpose was scored by drag-flicker Gareth Furlong within the fifty fifth minute from a set piece.
After the win, India had been heading in the right direction to high Pool B as they take pleasure in a purpose distinction of twenty-two over England, who nonetheless have a match in opposition to Canada.
The Indians had the higher share of possession within the first two quarters, however Wales gave a troublesome struggle to their fancied opponents, particularly within the first quarter-hour. India relied on fast inter-passing recreation and made a couple of circle penetrations, however didn’t create any clear lower probability, barring a penalty nook within the eighth minute, which Varun Kumar didn’t utilise.
Wales additionally made some circle entries contained in the Indian D and their greatest probability got here when an unmarked Carlson’s shot was saved by an onrushing Sreejesh from a one-on-one scenario.
After a barren first quarter, India secured back-to-back penalty corners within the 18th minute, the second of which was put into purpose by the ever-reliable Harmanpreet with a low highly effective grounded flick.
A minute later, India secured one other penalty nook and Harmanpreet exhibited his bagful of tips with one other good conversion at hand his aspect a 2-0 lead at half-time.Two minutes after the change of ends, India secured their fifth penalty nook however wasted the possibility. In the fortieth minute, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallists earned back-to-back penalty corners, the second of which resulted in a penalty stroke, and Harmanpreet made no mistake from the spot.
Minutes later, Akashdeep Singh’s deflection from an in depth vary was saved out by Wales goalkeeper Tobias Reynolds-Cotterill.
An agile Gurjant made the scoreline 4-0 two minutes later as he completely turned the face of his follow deflect in Samsher Singh’s excessive move. Wales then secured two penalty corners in fast time and Furlong made use of the second alternative.
A minute from the ultimate hooter, India earned one other set piece however Harmanpreet was denied by the Wales defence.
