FIH Pro League 2022-23 hockey: India lose 3-2 to Spain as Marc Reyne scores late winner
India fell 2-0 behind but levelled the match up at 2-2. Marc Reyne scored the winner for Spain four minutes before the final hooter.
(Hockey India)
The Indian men’s hockey team lost 3-2 to Spain in its second match of the FIH Pro League 2022-23 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on Sunday.
Eduard de Ignacio-Simo (16’) and Marc Miralles (26’) gave Spain a 2-0 lead but India equalised through captain Harmanpreet Singh (26’) and Abhishek (54’). Marc Reyne (56’) scored a late winner for the away side.
After a strong start by the Indian hockey team, Spain slowly took control of the match and looked the likelier team to score as the first quarter progressed. India, who finished third in the last FIH Pro League season, meanwhile, struggled to make any notable inroads with the Spanish defence staying compact.
After a goalless first quarter, it was Spain, who took the lead. PR Sreejesh thwarted a penalty corner from the away side but couldn’t clear the ball away from his danger zone.
In the resulting melee inside the Indian circle, Eduard de Ignacio-Simo found the space and the touch to divert the ball into the goal and gave Spain the lead in the 16th minute.
Minutes later, Jugraj Singh seemed to have brought India level after his shot rippled the Spanish net but it was ruled out as it took a deflection off a Spanish player en route.
India’s pain compounded in the 26th minute after Marc Miralles’ drive from a PC proved too powerful for PR Sreejesh. The Indian goalkeeper got a palm to the ball but couldn’t stop it from going in.
Down 2-0, the Indian hockey team finally sprung into action and showed more adventure and began asking some serious questions of the Spanish defence. It paid off almost instantly as Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh buried a penalty corner into the away team’s goal with his first opportunity at goal.
India could have drawn level just before the half-time hooter but Harmanpreet’s attempt from another penalty corner was thwarted by Spanish custodian Rafi Adrian this time around.
The third quarter saw both teams go for the all-important fourth goal of the match. Spain dominated a bulk of the possession in the quarter and created some good chances while India engineered a few decent opportunities in the final minutes. But neither side managed to score.
India came out with a purpose in the final quarter and did well to keep the ball. Adrian did well to deny the home side on a couple of occasions but Abhishek finally managed to beat the Spaniard with a powerful drive to draw his team level.
The joy, however, proved shortlived as Marc Reyne put Spain back in the lead with four minutes left on the clock.
India’s next match in the FIH Pro League 2022-23 will be against New Zealand on November 4.