India stave off Spanish Armada to win 3-2

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Sydney: It was more a tenacious display with the "Sword of Elimination" hanging over their head, rather than a virtuso performance from the Indian hockey team.

They hung on to a slender lead of one goal, which at times looked dangerous and vulnerable, to come through 3-2 against Spain in a crucial Group 'B' match of the Olympic hockey competition.

That goal helped India take India temporary lead in the Pool with sevenpoints from four games. A victory against Poland would guarantee India a place in the semi-finals regardless of other results.

In a game that was a do-or-die one for India, the former hockey super power had to forget memories of the awful match against South Korea that had brought them to this situation after a fine start against Argentina and Australia, during which India played sublime and fast hockey.

India went into the lead in the 16th minute when Baljit Singh Dhillon scored off a perfect penalty stroke to put India ahead by 1-0. The Indians showedexcellent play till that stage, but then the Spaniards stung by the goal, came back strongly.

Their attempts at the Indian goal increased dramatically and their forwards Xavi Arnau, Edi Tubau and Pep Sanchez went all out. That paid dividends as they earned a penalty corner and Xavier Ribas scored off it to equalise in the 22nd minute.

Just when it looked that matters would be on even keel at half time, India got a penalty corner with less than half a minute to go for the interval. Withvirtually the last shot of the first half, Dilip Tirkey pounced on a rebound from his own first attempt and found the goal to make it 2-1.

That gave India the right momentum and they went off the field with a positive and happy frame of mind. In the second session with the huge pro-India crowd cheering lustily, the Indians played excellent hockeyfor the first 15 minutes.

It was a classical game, where they ran circles around the more robustEuropeans. In the 43rd minute, India got another penalty corner, which Baljit Singh Dhillion converted in style.

Deepak Thakur took the push from the goalline and Dhillion after the stop powerfully swept the ball in to give India a 3-1 lead. The two goal advantageshould have given India some breathing space, but the doughty Spaniards came back in swarms.

Though the defence played extremely well and goal-keeper Jude Menezes in particular saved numerous shots at the goal. At least two of them were suregoals. But along with Menezes' performance, luck, too, was on India's side. At least two of Tubau's excellent tries missed the target by a whisker.

Still the Spaniards did well to narrow the gap and then still press on for the equaliser that remained elusive. With 17 minutes left for the long whistle,Spain pulled one back when Pep Sanchez converted a pass from Xavi Arnau.

But nothing came in after that. Menezes and defence managed to keep the Spaniards at bay, while the forwards and then midfield, with support from the defence held on to the ball and also made long clearances to play out for time.

It very nearly boomeranged as Spain earned a crucial penalty corner with two minutes to go but once that was wasted, the players had one eye on the ball and one on the clock and fortunately the lead stuck and India won 3-2 despite Spain having 16 scoring attempts to India's seven.

India Abroad News Service