India begin World Cup campaign with win over Wales

India made a winning start to their men’s Hockey World Cup campaign, defeating Wales 3-1 in a Pool D match here on Saturday, with captain Harmanpreet Singh scoring twice from penalty corners. Playing in front of a large crowd at the nearly 10,000-capacity Wagener Stadium on country’s Independence Day, India dominated for long periods and were 3-0 ahead before Wales scored late in the fourth quarter.

Harmanpreet, who was named Player of the Match, converted penalty corners in the 11th and 43rd minutes, while Sanjay scored from a direct drag-flick in the eighth minute. Sam Welsh pulled one back for Wales with a field goal in the 56th minute.

India, seeking their first World Cup medal since their gold-winning campaign in 1975, started slowly as Wales enjoyed possession in the opening minutes.

Wales entered the Indian circle in the second minute, with goalkeeper Suraj Karkera denying Jack Pritchard after a pass from Fred Newbold. Newbold’s effort on the rebound then sailed over the bar. Newbold continued to trouble the Indian defence and tested Karkera again in the fifth minute, but the goalkeeper was equal to the task.

India responded with a swift counter-attack and earned their first penalty corner in the seventh minute through Hardik Singh. With Harmanpreet off the field, Sanjay’s first attempt was unsuccessful, but India earned another penalty corner after the ball struck the foot of the first rusher.

Sanjay made no mistake with his next attempt, beating the Welsh goalkeeper with a powerful direct flick to put India ahead in the eighth minute. Jarmanpreet then came close to scoring three minutes later after making a brilliant run down the right flank, but his reverse hit missed the target.

India earned another penalty corner in the 11th minute and Harmanpreet duly converted it with a powerful drag-flick to double the lead.

Wales immediately pushed forward in search of a response, but India’s defence, marshalled by Harmanpreet, stood firm. India earned another penalty corner just before the end of the opening quarter, but Harmanpreet’s flick went wide.

The experienced Manpreet Singh, who has 417 international appearances, won another penalty corner for India in the opening minute of the second quarter. However, Manpreet could not trap the ball on Harmanpreet’s initial shot, while Mandeep Singh could not capitalise on the deflection.

Wales came close to reducing the deficit in the 19th minute when Pritchard received a long pass and found himself through on goal with only goalkeeper Mohit HS and defender Sanjay ahead of him. Mohit rushed out, but Pritchard’s shot struck the post.

India continued to threaten but could not add to their tally before the interval, taking a 2-0 lead at half-time.

The third quarter saw India maintain the tempo and put Wales under sustained pressure. Their efforts led to another penalty corner in the 42nd minute, and Harmanpreet made it count a minute later, unleashing a powerful low flick from the left to make it 3-0.

Wales refused to give up and earned their first penalty corner of the match in the 54th minute. But Gareth Furlong’s powerful effort was brilliantly kept out by Mohit.

Wales, however, pulled one back in the 56th minute. Amid a scramble in front of the Indian goal.

After the ball entered the net, the umpire initiated a video referral to check for a possible backstick offence on the goal-line and a penalty stroke. The video review confirmed that the ball had crossed the goal-line before the offence. Wales were awarded the goal.

With the new tournament format placing added importance on goal difference, India would have preferred to finish with a clean sheet and a bigger margin of victory.

India head coach Craig Fulton will therefore have to address the team’s defensive mistakes and the late concession of a goal before India’s match against third-ranked England.