India reserved its best for the last, registering a comprehensive 5-1 victory against South Africa in the title clash of the Hockey Series Finals here on Saturday with a performance that was far removed from the fumbling start it had made.
The all-round show would not just be a relief for the team and coach Graham Reid, but also a major step forward in its quest for an Olympic spot. The host dominated every department against a side that had fought its way into the final.
Despite the scoreline not being as massive as in previous games, it was a far more polished display from India which took charge from the opening minute and never relented. For Reid, that would perhaps be the biggest takeaway from the outing.
India pressed hard all 60 minutes, not leaving any gaps in the defence. It opened up space in every area of the field – all this, without losing its structure or discipline.
The players advanced to receive the ball instead of waiting for it and kept possession without rushing for the goal. Despite taking the lead as early as the second minute, when Varun Kumar struck a perfectly placed shot in the bottom left corner through Rassie Pieterse’s legs off India’s first penalty corner, the team did not lose control.
Manpreet Singh, named Player-of-the-tournament, was impressive as always in the middle and the flanks, while Vivek Prasad was brilliant in holding up the all-important centre-half position every time he got the responsibility. It was a delight to watch the Indians crowd the opposition circle and penetrate at will. Even defenders Harmanpreet Singh and Birendra Lakra lurked on the edge of the circle.
The host converted three out of five Penalty Corners (PCs) — an area that has been a concern for the side — and it was all about India in front of over 12,000 fans who crowded the Kalinga Stadium. Although India was the favourite, South Africa was a tricky opponent. It got its first chance in the 53rd minute — two back-to-back PCs — and struck its only goal.
Japan pips USA
Earlier, Japan finished third with a 4-2 win against USA in a dramatic playoff that saw three goals being scored in the final 90 seconds. USA began the scoring but got the equaliser in the 59th minute to make it 2-2. With the game heading for a shootout, USA decided to remove its goalkeeper and Kenta Tanaka scored twice in the final minute.
The results:
Final: India 5 (Harmanpreet Singh 2, Varun Kumar 2, Vivek Prasad) bt South Africa 1 (Richard Pautz); 3-4 placings: Japan 4 (Kenta Tanaka 2, Kazuma Murata, Yoshiki Kirishita) bt USA 2 (Aki Kaeppeler 2).
Special awards: Player-of-the-tournament: Manpreet Singh (India); Best junior player: Vivek Prasad (India); Best goalkeeper: Jonathan Klages (USA); Top scorers: Harmanpreet Singh (India), Varun Kumar (India) and Semen Matkovskiy (Russia) - six each.
