Breathless 60 minutes of India-England produce an entertaining 0-0 draw 

The match ended the best way it started: a shot, a save and the attacker holding his head in disbelief, puzzled at how his goal-bound try was saved out. But Nicholas Bandurak wasn’t the one one left questioning. After the top of a breathless 60 minutes, gamers on either side of the pitch, the 2 dugouts and the 4 overflowing stands had been all equally astonished.

The match that had all the pieces – breezy runs in the direction of the opponent’s circle, a dozen penalty corners, a glut of playing cards, a defender left with a bloody face, an attacker hobbling out clutching his hamstring, a disallowed aim and a goal-line clearance proper on the closing hooter – ended with nothing.

After serving aim fests of their earlier 4 encounters, the legislation of averages lastly caught up with India and England as they performed out a dramatic goalless draw; a match that received’t be forgotten so simply for its rigidity in addition to the ebb and movement.

It was like two heavyweight boxers going toe-to-toe with one another, throwing a flurry of punches proper till the ultimate bell rang and falling on their knees in sheer exhaustion. There was no winner and in some way, it appears like the fitting factor to have occurred.

Here’s a glimpse on the neck-to-neck match between England and India.#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame #HWC2023 #StarsBecomeLegends #ENGvsIND @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports activities @Media_SAI @EnglandHockey pic.twitter.com/aFzH1MfMYU

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 15, 2023

The draw means each India and England are formally by way of to the subsequent spherical. However, the combat for the highest spot – and a direct quarterfinal berth – will go right down to the ultimate matchday on Thursday, when India tackle Wales and England, who at the moment prime Pool D, face Spain.

Hardik’s damage scare

India will now be compelled to go all-out in opposition to World Cup debutant Wales, who misplaced 5-1 to Spain earlier within the day, to face an opportunity to surpass England’s superior aim distinction. For India, topping the group can have a twin benefit – not solely will it guarantee them a spot within the final 8 however the further relaxation days that include it’ll additionally give Hardik Singh, the workforce’s greatest outfield participant within the opening two video games, an opportunity to realize full health.

Hardik left the sector within the fifty fifth minute after selecting up a hamstring damage and didn’t play any additional position within the match. It sparked considerations over the seriousness of the damage though coach Graham Reid performed it down, saying the knock didn’t look as unhealthy as initially thought.

For India, a fully-fit Hardik is important, particularly on turnovers when he has wreaked havoc in opposition defences together with his ingenious play. Hardik has a knack for successful possession in the course of the park and recognizing house in entrance of him to glide ahead. On Friday, he was a continuing thorn within the English defence together with his marauding runs. But India’s profligacy in entrance of the aim meant the alternatives he created went begging.

It felt as if their primary expertise like trapping and passing had deserted the Indian forwards, who lacked composure within the closing third. The forwards had been fed with scintillating defence-splitting passes, with defender Harmanpreet Singh offering such balls greater than as soon as, and introduced with easy tap-in alternatives by the midfielders however in some way, the facet that’s not had an issue find the again of the online in current months couldn’t discover its scoring contact.

Strong Indian defence

India, however, excelled in a division that’s failed them because the Tokyo Games – defence. Reid, regardless of being left with combined emotions concerning the draw, seemed greater than content material that his workforce conjured up its second consecutive clear sheet, which wasn’t a straightforward process in opposition to a facet that’s introduced cricket’s ‘Bazball’ strategy to hockey.

You didn’t actually need to see the match to know that England had been on the ascendency within the first two quarters. Their dominance may be heard – the sound of the ball being thwacked from one English stick to a different, a determined PR Sreejesh barking directions to his teammates and the deafening silence that emanated from the stands which have produced earsplitting noise when India are on the offensive.

England goalkeeper Oliver Payne, who pulled off a few respectable saves, stated after the sport he was smiling underneath his helmet, embracing the environment. His teammates, nonetheless, had been left grimacing by a strong Indian defence.

In the primary two quarters, India, in Reid’s phrases, had been ‘off the pace’, unable to maintain up with the short play on transition by the England forwards who received seven penalty corners within the first half itself.

But India’s defence was as soon as once more as much as the duty, particularly the workforce’s first rushers, be it Manpreet Singh whose courageous runs stopped Sam Ward’s fierce drag-flicks or Amit Rohidas, who didn’t hesitate to place his physique on the road in entrance of his residence crowd to maintain England’s photographs at bay. The incontrovertible fact that each Indian goalkeepers – Sreejesh within the first quarter and Krishan Pathak within the second – didn’t need to make a single save from penalty corners factors on the effectivity of India’s first wave of rushers, who blocked all angles.

The missed penalty nook probabilities pissed off England as India steadily wrested the initiative and commenced to impose themselves. After the change of ends, Reid demanded two issues from his gamers – to match England’s tempo on transitions and never concede penalty corners.

Pool D has begun to take form. This is the place the groups stand on the finish of Day 3.#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame #HWC2023 #StarsBecomeLegends #ENGvsIND @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports activities @Media_SAI @EnglandHockey @rfe_hockey @HockeyWales pic.twitter.com/TV8aotx5J0

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 15, 2023

It seemed like they’d carried out simply what the coach stated till the workforce conceded a nook with simply 19 seconds remaining. Bandurak, who has a penchant for scoring match-winning objectives, stood on prime of the ‘D’ and unleashed a fierce flick which beat Pathak to his left. But behind him, Surender Kumar was there on the road to deflect the ball away from the Indian aim and guarantee India didn’t throw the sport away on the demise like they’ve so many occasions previously.

Other outcome

Spain 5 Wales 1

Pool D desk

Team      P     W     D       L       GD       Pts

England  2     1     1      0        5          4

India        2     1     1      0       2           4

Spain       2     1     0     1        2          3

Wales      2     0     0      2       -9          0