India quelled 2016 Olympic champion Argentina’s comeback bid and posted a 4-3 victory in the first practice match in Buenos Aires on Tuesday. The home side had rallied from being 0-3 down to score two goals but Varun Kumar marked his return to the Indian side from injury with a penalty corner strike that put the game beyond the home team.
India has travelled to the South American nation to play its first Pro League games since February last year. It will play another practice game against the home team before they lock horns in back to back matches in the Pro League on April 11 and 12. It will stay back to play two more practice games before returning to its base in Bengaluru.
After a blank first quarter in which the teams looked to settle down, Nilakanta Sharma (16th minute), Harmanpreet Singh (28), Rupinder Pal Singh (33) and Varun Kumar (47) scored for India. Dragflicker Leandro Tolini (35 and 53) and Maico Casella (41) accounted for the home team’s goals
Early in the second quarter, Shilanand Lakra set up Nilakanta Sharma’s goal with a beautiful pass. India continued to put pressure on the home side with a strong attack. When action occasionally shifted to the other end of the pitch, India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh’s brilliance denied Argentina even when it secured a penalty corner.
With just a couple of minutes left in the second quarter, Dilpreet Singh earned India a penalty corner. Harmanpreet Singh came up with a fine strike and India led 2-0 at the break, just rewards for the team’s attacking approach.
There was a flurry of action at either end on resumption, Argentina scoring through Leandro Tolini’s penalty corner and India losing no time in responding through a penalty corner earned by Jaskaran Singh. Dragflicker Rupinder Pal Singh ensured India a 3-1 lead. With a few minutes remaining for the end of the third quarter, Casella scored to narrow the gap.
The Argentine side was relentless and forced another penalty corner, but young goalkeeper Krishan Pathak made a good save. Both teams stepped on the gas in the final session of play, but Dilpreet Singh set up a penalty corner opportunity for Varun Kumar to convert and extend the lead. Tolini scored in the 53rd minute but India held on to end the game with a good win.
Chief Coach Graham Reid was happy with the winning start in Argentina. “It was a very good match, intensely fought by both teams. It is always nice to come up with a win against a team like Argentina as it amplifies our confidence levels,” he said.
“We were able to create opportunities in the circle and also convert them. This was one of the areas we really put our minds to in the national camp back in SAI, Bengaluru. But we allowed Argentina to come back into the game particularly in the third quarter where they scored twice. When you play a strong team like them, we need to be consistent in all the quarters,” Reid said.
“Each match we play is a learning experience and I feel we have scope to do better. We look forward to a good match on Wednesday too. These matches will surely help us when we take on the home team in the double header Pro League matches,” Reid said.
Image (top): Surender Singh holds sway (Courtesy: Hockey India)
Photo: Rodrigo Jaramillo, WorldSportpics, courtesy: Hockey India
