Last Update: January 15, 2023, 21:57 IST
India and England play out a goalless draw at the Birsa Munda International Stadium in Rourkela (Twitter)
In an evenly played Pool D match at the Birsa Munda Stadium, both the teams failed to get one on the scoreboard despite getting ample chances for a result in the end-to-end fixture.
India played out a goalless draw against England in an engrossing pool match to stay in contention for a direct quarterfinal berth in the FIH Men’s Hockey. World Cup on Sunday.
In an evenly played Pool D match at a packed Birsa Munda Stadium, both sides failed to find the net despite creating ample chances.
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England got eight penalty corners against India’s four. But the home team’s penalty corner defense was impeccable.
England and India The two matches now carry four points each and the top of the pool and direct qualification for the quarter-finals will be decided on January 19 when India take on Wales while England take on Spain, both at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar .
If two teams are on the same number of points and have won the same number of matches, the side with the better goal difference will be ranked higher. England now have a plus-five goal difference after beating Wales 5-0 in their opening match, while India are plus-two, having won 2-0 against Spain. It was England who dominated the first quarter as they earned five penalty corners in succession. But India defended the PC quite well as Manpreet Singh got out first and closed the angle. Mandeep Singh won India’s first penalty corner at the end of the first quarter but Manpreet’s stop was not the best, forcing skipper Harmanpreet Singh to let down a drag-flick.
As the second quarter began, Wallace Zachary’s hit from inside the Indian circle came over Krishan Bahadur Pathak and England got their sixth PC but again wasted it.
England continued to drive into the Indian circle and earned their seventh penalty corner, but the first strike was swiftly saved by paceman Amit Rohidas.
It was even from start to finish for the first few minutes before Harmanpreet earned a penalty corner for India in the second of the match, but he blew it.
After a last minute clearance in the Indian ‘D’ by Neelam Sanjeep Zess in the 24th minute, Hardik Singh attempted a fierce reverse shot from the top of the England circle but missed the target.
India pressed on and earned their fourth PC but England managed to clear after a scramble inside the circle. After this it was the turn of Varun Kumar to try his luck but his shot could not do any harm.
India dominated the second quarter but could not score as both sides failed to break the deadlock at halftime.
David Condon had a try in the 37th minute but went wide. But to India’s misfortune, they could not take the lead in the very next minute as Hardik’s double shot was saved by the England goalkeeper.
The match was in spice and it was now England’s golden chance as the Indian defense allowed Sam Ward to take a reverse shot from a one-on-one with goalkeeper PR Sreejesh but it went wide.
India responded quickly and it was Mandeep who had a great chance to score in the 41st minute as he got a free hit near the top of the England ‘D’ but missed the target.
The full capacity crowd of 21,000 thought India had taken the lead in the last minute of the third quarter, which was evenly contested after the ball fell into the England goal, but the umpire ruled that it was already a goal. The Indian had hit his feet.
India were a man down in the last few minutes of the match and England pressed for the winner but failed to breach the home side’s defence. England got a PC in the last minute but wasted it.
Earlier in a Pool D match, Spain beat Wales 5-1.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)