India snap 52-year Games drought as Kookas stumble
The wasteful Kookaburras have slipped off the front row of their Olympics pool and face a nervous wait on their quarter-final opponents after suffering a frustrating 3-2 loss to India in Paris.
Australia’s men’s hockey team had 19 shots on goal and five penalty corners in a wide-open Friday afternoon affair.
But they were left scratching their heads after blowing chances time and again, including in the final 10 seconds when three rushed shots bounced around the circle and off Indian goalkeeper Sreejesh Parattu as the clock expired.
In Australian flagbearer Eddie Ockenden’s 450th Test, it was India’s fourth defeat of Australia in 12 Games clashes – but first since 1972.
And it was enough to push them ahead of Colin Batch’s side into second place.
Australia, guaranteed a Sunday quarter-final against a team to be confirmed later on Friday, are now third but could slide to fourth if Argentina upset Belgium.
The Netherlands, Germany or Great Britain are their possible opponents.
“That was a pretty tough match,” Ockenden said.
“Maybe we were not quite there but there were a lot of good things. Every opposition’s tough here.
“We’re probably not at our very best but a few things (go) our way and we probably could have had a result there.
“In the quarter-finals, we always know we are going to have tough games, it doesn’t matter where you finish.
“You’re sort of ready for that. No one knows who they’re going to play yet, so we’re expecting a tough game no matter what.”
Indian star Harmanpreet Singh scored a trademark drag flick from his first penalty corner chance then slotted a penalty stroke, while Abishek Abishek opened the scoring with a sweetly timed field goal.
Australia should have scored first, the fit-again Jake Whetton threatening early and Tim Brand with multiple chances as they found precious space in the circle.
Eventually the goal came from a penalty corner, Aran Zalewski recovering from his botched injection and the ball eventually finding Tom Craig on the far post.
Blake Govers’ penalty stroke made it 3-2, after India had a fourth goal denied on review, and they then came within a whisker of a third that would have been enough to keep them in second.
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