FIH Pro League: Harmanpreet's hat-trick helps Indian men to edge England 4-3
Apr 04, 2022
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], April 4 : India and England played out another thriller as a back and forth FIH Pro League match saw 7 goals, all from penalty corners, 4-3 in favour of the hosts here at the Kalinga Stadium on Sunday.
England took an early lead in the match as they had done last night. But India went back level through Manpreet and never trailed again. India's Harmanpreet Singh scored a hat-trick notching his 100th goal for India and while England twice managed to reduce the deficit to 1 goal, they could not find a leveller and India took all 3 points.
England hit back via Liam Sanford (6'), David Condon (38') and Sam Ward (43').
With three points from the match, India consolidated the top position in the FIH Pro League standings and now have 21 points from 10 matches. England, on the other hand, stayed seventh with two wins and seven points.
The game started much more evenly, but England once again got the first goal through an innovative penalty corner that was deflected in by Sanford, who scored his first-ever international goal for England. India countered back with a similar routine from a penalty corner routine and scored via Manpreet Singh who got his first goal since 2019.
Two more penalty corners from India in a dominant 2nd quarter saw Harmanpreet give India a 3-1 lead into half-time, but the English team never stopped believing.
England crucially got the first goal of the second half through a Sam Ward drag flick from a penalty corner that took a touch from David Condon and went in. India then struck back, once again through Harmanpreet Singh who completed his hat-trick with a vicious flick into the bottom left corner.
England weren't done though and stuck back in the very next minute to set up a tense final quarter. But Indians held through as defence led by Harmanpreet and captain Amit Rohidas dealt with the threats well and the hosts emerged victorious.
