Indian men’s hockey team hammers NZ 5-0, Eves beat Japan 2-1 to win Olympic Test Event

The Indian men’s hockey team won the Olympic Test event here on Wednesday, beating New Zealand 5-0 to avenge the loss it endured in their round robin clash.

Captain Harmanpreet Singh (7th minute) set the ball rolling before Shamsher Singh (18th minute), Nilakanta Sharma (22nd minute), Gursahibjit Singh (26th minute) and Mandeep Singh (27th minute) scored for India at the Oi Hockey Stadium here.

India had lost 1-2 to New Zealand earlier in round robin league-stage.

“We played very well. We managed to score our opportunities at the start of the game,” Harmanpreet said after the triumph.

“I think the final was always going to be tough, we lost to New Zealand earlier. But we had been having practice sessions after that and worked on our mistakes to win today,” he added.

Both teams began the match on a cautious note by turning over the ball in the mid-field. India won a penalty corner in the seventh minute, but couldn’t capitalise on the opportunity.

However, skipper Harmanpreet didn’t miss out on a re-awarded penalty corner. He executed a perfect dragflick to put India in the lead.

The Indian team continued to hold possession and put tremendous pressure on the New Zealand defense as they ended the first quarter at 1-0.

Shamsher scored India’s second goal through a penalty corner in the 18th minute.

New Zealand managed to make only two circle entries in the second quarter as the Indian team scored three more goals.

Nilakanta found the back of the net in the 22nd minute before Gursahibjit and Mandeep scored in quick succession.

Vivek Prasad intercepted the ball brilliantly to assist a goal for Gursahibjit and Mandeep converted a penalty corner just before the half-time whistle.

After an action-packed first half, the intensity dropped from both sides. New Zealand tried to make a few inroads in the third quarter as they took a shot in the 37th minute which went wide of the post.

Jarmanpreet Singh saved a penalty corner in the next minute as India and New Zealand played out a goalless quarter but the former held the lead at 5-0.

In the last quarter, India ensured they stayed in the lead and didn’t allow New Zealand to break through their defense throughout the match.

India’s attacking approach in the match paid off as they walked off the pitch as winners of the competition.

Eves edge past Japan

The Indian women hockey team also won the Olympic Test event with Navjot Kaur and Lalremsiami leading the side to a 2-1 win over Japan in the final.

Navjot Kaur (11th minute) opened the scoring to put India ahead but the lead was neutralised within a minute as Minami Shimizu (12’) scored for the hosts.

Lalremsiami (33’) struck the winning goal for India.

India dominated the first 10 minutes, and finally managed to find the breakthrough when Forward Navjot kept her nerves under pressure and produced a fine finish in front of the goal.

However, the next minute saw Japan strike back immediately with a well-crafted field goal which was put into the back of the net by Shimizu to make it 1-1.

The second quarter saw both the teams focus on their defensive structure and tread carefully in the attacking third.

It was an aggressive start from the Indian team after the half-time break as they won themselves a penalty corner in the 33rd minute.

India’s prolific drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur stepped up to take the execution, but her shot was saved by the Japanese Goalkeeper Megumi Kageyama.

However, the rebound fell to India’s young Forward Lalremsiami, who did not make a mistake in putting the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-1 for India.

It was a huge blow to the hosts who were finding it difficult to cope up with India’s rhythm, but after some tough battles in the midfield, the Japanese team earned themselves back-to-back penalty corners in the 42nd minute.

However, India’s defense was up to the task, and made sure that they protected their lead. India also had a penalty corner in the 45th minute, but could not extend their lead.

The first chance of the last quarter came India’s way but Kageyama made a diving save. Japan too got back-to-back penalty corners but Indian Goalkeeper Savita made a great save on the second attempt to make sure that India saw out a 2-1 win.