NEW DELHI: India-Great Britain have traditionally been high octane, feisty affairs with umpires regularly pulling out cards from their pockets. They did so too in the Paris Olympics quarter-final on Sunday, only this time it was a red – a rarity in modern hockey.
Amit Rohidas’s red card in the 17th minute for foul play changed the course of the match as India played the rest of the match with only 10 men against a high pressing world No.2 Great Britain. But they managed to play the rest of the 43 minutes a man down, drawing the game 1-1 in regulation time before winning the shootout 4-2 to qualify for the semi-finals.
Harmanpreet Singh (22nd minute) scored the first goal of the match for India while Lee Morton (27th) drew parity five minutes later in regulation time.
Great Britain started with a high press playing their typically fast paced hockey against an unpredictable Indian team who rely heavily on individual skill even in today’s modern-day hockey which is more about short and quick passes. The Great Britain attacks yielded them their first shot on the Indian goal which they converted into two back-to-back penalty corners.
Rohidas showed his class as India’s first runner, thwarting Samuel Ward and Gareth Furlong’s attempts. Great Britain, who have struggled in short corners over the last few years, continued the trend.
India were strong on counterattacks which also earned them a solid chance towards the end of the first quarter. Abhishek single-handedly ran down the pitch to hit a reverse stick shot which was brilliantly saved by Great Britain goalkeeper Ollie Payne.
Great Britain had a superb chance the next minute in a PC. Had it not been for Jarmanpreet Singh at the goal line, who stopped the ball, and PR Srejeesh, who pushed it away, the European outfit would have taken the lead.
But the big moment of the match came in the 17th minute when on the run Rohidas’s stick hit William Calnan. The umpires referred the TV umpire and decided to hand the Indian defender, also the team’s primary first rusher in PCs, a red card, giving the world No.2 outfit an advantage for the rest of the 43 minutes of the match.
Even though it can be argued that Rohidas didn’t hit Calnan intentionally, unnatural movement of the being lifted from the ground to the face of the player put the decision against the Olympic bronze medallist.
But India didn’t lost heart as they continued to press with dual play between Raj Kumal Pal and Abhishek earning them a PC which skipper Harmanpreet Singh converted to hand India a 1-0 lead despite being a man down.
Great Britain restarted the high press which resulted in the equaliser as Lee Morton drew parity five minutes later.
The third quarter was primarily about Great Britain’s relentless attack and Sreejesh, playing his last tournament, making extraordinary saves with his razor-sharp reflexes, maintaining parity in the match.
Matters became worse for India as they were down to nine men at the end of the third quarter as defender Sumit was given the green card for hitting a ball after the umpire had blown the whistle for play to be halted.
Great Britain continued pressing hard in the final quarter but India did well to defend with a man less to maintain parity as the match entered the shootouts.
