Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Indian men’s hockey team bounced back in style, securing a 2-0 victory over Spain in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar on February 16. After suffering a 1-3 defeat in the opening match on February 14, India produced a stellar performance, much to the delight of the home crowd. Goals from Mandeep Singh (32′) and Dilpreet Singh (39′) sealed India’s first win of the season.
Defender Amit Rohidas lauded his side’s efforts and claimed they rectified the mistakes the team had made in their loss in the first game.
“They were two very different games, this is the start of a new year for us. Even though we played very well in the first half, we lacked in the second. Today however we rectified the mistakes we made in the first game. We kept attacking through the four quarters and were clinical with our chances,” defender Amit Rohidas said.
The match started with a cautious approach from both teams, with the first quarter ending goalless. India’s defense was much sharper compared to their previous outing, keeping the Spanish attack at bay. Mandeep Singh came close to scoring in the 5th minute, but a timely intervention by the Spanish defense denied him.
The second quarter saw India dominating possession, pressing hard to break through, but Spain’s defense stood firm. Despite earning a penalty corner in the 18th minute, India couldn’t find the back of the net, and the teams went into halftime locked at 0-0.
The breakthrough finally came in the 32nd minute when Mandeep Singh capitalized on a rebound from a penalty corner, slotting the ball in with an assist from Dilpreet Singh. The goal energized the Indian side, and just seven minutes later, India doubled their lead. Mandeep Singh set up Gurjant Singh, whose reverse hit was cleverly deflected into the goal by Dilpreet Singh in the 39th minute.
Despite Spain’s desperate attempts to pull one back in the final quarter, goalkeepers Suraj Karkera and Krishan Pathak stood tall, ensuring India maintained their lead. The team effectively managed the game tactically, securing a well-earned win in the absence of captain Harmanpreet Singh, who was rested.
The 26-year-old was happy with his team’s performance and suggested his side will continue with the same set up in the upcoming game against Germany on February 19.
“Our strategy is very good. Our defence is strong, we are defending penalty corners very well so we will be continuing the same in the coming matches,” Hardik said.
