World champions sneak draw against spirited Indians in first hockey Test
A late strike by Christopher Ciriello salvaged pride for World Champions Australia as they were held to a 2- 2 draw by India in the first hockey Test at Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh on Thursday. India was poised for an upset victory until two minutes before the final whistle, courtesy VR Raghunath’s double strike from penalty corners.
India started the match on a positive note in front of a packed Rajnandgaon stadium. However, the initial momentum for the home team faded away when Dylan Wotherspoon scored for Australia in the ninth minute, thanks to a bad back pass from Manpreet Singh. Harjot Singh, who started in goal instead of PR Sreejesh was completely beaten by the flick from Wotherspoon.
India came back into the match earning a penalty corner in the 12th minute. But VR Raghunath wasted the penalty corner pushing it wide. With Australia playing a waiting game, the visitors ended the quarter leading 1- 0.
India levelled the match in the second quarter with VR Raghunath redeeming himself by scoring from a penalty corner in the 27th minute. Sardar Singh’s push was calmly slotted in by the veteran drag- flicker to the left of Australian goalkeeper. The goal injected much-needed momentum into the Indian side, which finished as the better team going into the half-time break.
India started the third quarter from where they had left and unleashed a flurry of attacks into the Australian goal. Akashdeep came close to scoring in the 38th minute, with only a missing final touch stopping the hosts from a well-earned lead. With India looking the better side with 61 percent of poseession, they won their third penalty corner of the match with four minutes to go for the end of the quarter. Raghunath once again rose to the challenge and put India in front thanks to a powerful flick into the back of the net. The veteran delayed his flick, foxing the Australian goalie into diving to the other side before calmly slotting it to the left side of the goal.
Australia came close to levelling things in the third minute of the fourth quarter, with Glenn Simpson totally unmarked at the far post but could not convert the chance.
An energetic crowd crying for more goals, India won another penalty corner, thanks to Akashdeep Singh. Rupinder Pal Singh, who took the consecutive penalty corners, missed both by pushing it straight to the goalie.
India’s problems in the dying moments once again came to light, when India conceded a penalty corner in the 56th minute. Christopher Ciriello flicked the ball powerfully into the back of the goal, with Harjot Singh completely beaten. India somehow avoided further damage against the World Champions, despite the visitors earning two penalty corners in the last two minutes.
This is the third drawn match between the two countries in 19 bilateral ties.
The second Hockey Test between the two will take place on November 22nd at Raipur.