India’s hopes of redeeming some pleasure within the junior males’s hockey World Cup remained solely a dream as they misplaced 1-3 to Spain within the bronze medal playoff right here on Saturday.
Goals from Nicolas Alvarez (twenty fifth and 51st minute) and Petchame Pau (fortieth) sealed the deal in Spain’s favour as Sunil Jojo’s twenty eighth-minute penalty-nook strike was the one saving grace for the 2-time junior world champion Indians, whose perennial frailty with penalty nook conversions got here to the fore but once more on Saturday.
This was India’s second defeat to Spain on this version of the match, having misplaced to the European workforce 1-4 within the pool phases. India had additionally completed fourth within the final version of the match in 2021 in Bhubaneswar.
Spain, following the win in opposition to the Uttam Singh-led aspect, equalled their greatest exhibiting within the world match, including to the bronze that they had gained within the 2005 version in Rotterdam, beating India 6-5 on penalties.
Spain have been clearly the dominant aspect and India would have misplaced by an even bigger margin had it not been for some plucky saves by India goalkeeper Mohith Shashikumar after half-time.
Mohith effected two good saves within the thirty third minute when the Spanish attackers had just about run over the Indian defence. Mohith’s positive anticipation noticed him save two photographs on the objective to maintain the scoreline 1-1.
Alvarez opened the scoring for Spain within the twenty fifth minute, when he pulled away on the left flank all the best way to the goalmouth earlier than sending in a diagonal shot, which received deflected off the goalkeeper’s gloves into the objective.
Three minutes later, India struck the equaliser with Sunil Jojo scoring from the comply with-up of a penalty nook. Jojo’s fast anticipation noticed him rating with a flick after the Spanish goalkeeper had saved the primary try.
On a day when India once more failed miserably with PC conversions, fairly just like the semifinal in opposition to Germany the place they wasted a dozen of them within the 1-4 thrashing, in addition they appeared to lack the need to go all out. Barring Jojo’s twenty eighth minute conversion, remainder of the eight PC makes an attempt went abegging.
Spain’s excessive-press sport noticed Petchame Pau once more give his workforce the lead within the fortieth minute, sending the ball previous Mohith.
India’s disjointed defence took one other objective within the 51st minute when Cabre Verdiell’s run on the left discovered Alvarez, who deflected the ball into the objective as Mohith drifted to the opposite nook.
As the timer clicked away, there was desperation within the Indian camp, which resulted in a few collisions, main to Petchame limping off three minutes earlier than the ultimate hooter and Pere Amat additionally looking for the workforce physio’s assist.
India final stood on the rostrum in 2016 after they gained the gold medal within the Lucknow version of the match. Their first title triumph had are available Hobart in 2001, earlier than ending runners-up in in Milton Keynes, England in 1997.
Meanwhile, Germany, who completed runners-up in 2021, will play France within the summit conflict.
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – PTI)
