Indian men lose 0-2 to New Zealand in first hockey Test
Indian men lost 0-2 to hosts, New Zealand in the first match of their four-test series in Nelson. India had won both the preceding warm-up matches against New Zealand A, but the Black Sticks were in complete control of the match after striking both the goals in the first half to dominate proceedings.
The hosts went up in the sixth minute through a penalty corner conversion by Nick Haig. Haig’s penalty corner drag-flick ricocheted off the goalkeeper’s pad and found the net. Jared Panchia doubled the lead in the second quarter through a beautiful piece of play, when he received a pass from Ryan Archibald and slotted it home.
India’s Gurjinder Singh failed to convert the lone penalty corner that the visitors earned. Although India came back strongly in the second half, they failed to find the net.
“It was a good win. I think it’s coming together really well. The guys haven’t been together for a while – so for the first hit out I think it was a good performance,” said Haig.
Coincidentally, it was Black Sticks’ Steve Edwards 200th international. “Really cool for Steve to bring up 200, really well-deserved. He’s a bit of a magician on the field,” said Canterbury’s Haig.
The second Test will be played at Nelson on October 7.