FIH Men's Hockey Pro League 2023-24: India coast to 3-0 win over depleted German side in London
The Indians coasted to a 3-0 win against an inexperienced German side in their first match of the London leg of the FIH Men's Hockey Pro League on Saturday, June 1.
After absorbing a period of sustained German pressure in the opening quarter, Harmanpreet Singh gave his team the lead off India's first short corner.
Sukhjeet Singh scored off a stinging tomahawk from close range to double India's lead in the 41st minute. Gurjant Singh tapped one in off an assist from Jarmanpreet Singh to seal the deal for Craig Fulton's team at the tail-end of their Hockey Pro League campaign.
PR Sreejesh was called into action twice in a row midway through the opening quarter as Michel Struthoff threatened in the Indian circle before the Germans earned a short corner in the ninth minute.
Penalty corner ace Gonzalo Peillat was not on the pitch at the time, with Sreejesh gloving away the drag flick. Peillat was on hand to take Germany's second penalty corner in the 11th minute but Constantin Staib deflected the drag flick over the crossbar.
Alexander Stadler had his first touch of the ball in the 13th minute after the Indians failed to put away a half-chance. Michel Struthoff earned a third short corner at the end of the first quarter, with Sreejesh doing well to save a powerful aerial strike from Gonzalo Peillat.
Sukhjeet was brought down in the attacking circle allowing the Indians to earn their first penalty corner in the 16th minute. Harmanpreet Singh beat Stadler with a well-directed drag flick to give India a 1-0 lead.
Raphael Hartkopf forced Sreejesh into a save in the 23rd minute even as the Germans were unable to latch into the rebound.
Gonzalo Peillat stepped up to take Germany's fourth penalty corner alongside Malte Hellwig in the 29th minute. Sreejesh came up with an admirable save to stop Peillat's probing drag flick.
Abhishek set up Sukhjeet Singh whose close-range reverse beat Stadler in the 41st minute before Gurjant Singh latched on to an assist from Jarmanpreet to give India a 3-0 lead three minutes later.
Back-to-back short corners for Germany at the end of the third quarter yielded no results for Andre Henning's young team who will play the Indians again on June 8.
The Germans, who were without several of their regular international players, failed to convert a total of 12 penalty corners on the day.
India placed third with three matches to play in Hockey Pro League Season 5
A few surprising results have opened up the Hockey Pro League, with mini-tournaments currently taking place in Antwerp and London.
The Belgians, who are hosting Australia and Spain came back strongly, after suffering two shock defeats against Ireland last week.
The Belgian Red Lions thrashed Australia 5-1 before getting the better of Max Caldas' Spanish side 3-2 in Antwerp. After losing to Belgium, Colin Batch's Kookaburras failed to find the winning touch against Argentina going down 1-2.
Owing to the above results, Australia have slipped to fourth place with 20 points from 10 games while India have dropped one slot to the third position with 24 points from 13 games.
Argentina have climbed the Hockey Pro League points table ladder to be perched in the second spot with 26 points from 14 matches while the Netherlands are still on top of the heap with 26 points from 12 matches.