Uttam… at the helm. File Photo
| Photo Credit: Biswaranjan Rout
India produced a spectacular show of grit and character to advance to the semifinals with an exhilarating 4-3 win over the Netherlands in the hockey males’s Junior World Cup Kuala Lumpur on December 12.
Trailing 0-2 at half-time and 2-3 in the third quarter, India exhibited immense resilience to beat the Dutch in the quarterfinal and set a final 4 conflict in opposition to Germany.
The Netherlands set the ball rolling early in the first quarter with a penalty nook conversion from Timo Boers.
Despite the Indian aspect enjoying a stable defence, Pepijn van der Heijden scored for the Netherlands in the second quarter via one other penalty nook conversion taking their lead to 2-0 at half-time.
India got here again strongly in the third quarter with a objective from Aditya Lalage assisted by Araijeet Singh Hundal.
Two minutes later Hundal scored the equaliser for India with a penalty stroke. The India Colts saved the strain on the Dutch however they managed one more penalty nook that was transformed by Olivier Hortensius late in the third quarter as the Netherlands snatched a slim lead of 1 objective at the finish of the third quarter.
With lower than ten minutes remaining, the Indians raised the tempo of their recreation and it proved fruitful as Sourabh Anand Kushwaha discovered the again of the web off a rebound following a superb assault to get the rating studying 3-3.
Another alternative for a penalty nook conversion was created, this time in favour of India they usually made full use of it with captain Uttam Singh scoring to put India forward with simply three minutes left.
India Colts’ victory was backed by a grand present of character to maintain off strain from the Dutch aspect, and the cynosure of India’s defence was Rohit who was exhausting to breach – as he blocked away six successive PCs in the closing quarter guaranteeing India emerge victorious. He was awarded participant of the match for his efforts.
