FIH Pro League 2022-23 hockey: India beat Argentina 3-0 to reclaim top spot
Harmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas and Abhishek scored India’s goals. The Indian men’s hockey team will take on hosts Netherlands in their next match on Saturday.
Hockey
The Indian men’s hockey team reclaimed the top spot in the FIH Pro League 2022-23 points table with a clinical 3-0 win over Argentina in Eindhoven on Thursday.
World No. 5 India, two places above Argentina in the world hockey rankings, defended deep in the first half and struck three times in the remaining 30 minutes.
Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh (33’) and Amit Rohidas (39’) netted a goal each in the third quarter while Abhishek (59’) scored about a minute before the final hooter.
The win takes India to the top of the FIH Pro League table with 27 points from 14 matches. Great Britain are second with 26 points but have two games in hand. Argentina, meanwhile, remained fifth with 13 points from 13 matches.
The first half was a cagey affair with both sides defending deep. India, playing their second match in less than 24 hours, made 10 circle penetrations in the half but failed to convert.
Argentina looked more clinical in the attacking third but PR Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak kept the Indian goal safe in the first and second quarters, respectively.
India started to test the Argentine defence a little more after the start of the second half. They were finally rewarded with Harmanpreet Singh giving India the lead through his searing drag-flick off a penalty corner in the 33rd minute. Six minutes later, Amit Rohidas converted another penalty corner to make it 2-0.
Argentina pressed forward in the final quarter but the Indian backline stayed solid and made crucial interceptions. India were down to 10 men in the final two minutes of the play.
Argentina, looking to take advantage of the situation, threw numbers forward but found themselves three goals down as India hit on a counter-attack that was neatly finished off by Abhishek in the 59th minute.
India will now face the Netherlands on Saturday in their penultimate match of the FIH Pro League 2022-23. India lost to the hosts 4-1 in their last match on Wednesday.
India will play Argentina in their final match of the FIH Pro League 2022-23 season at the same venue on Sunday.