Harmanpreet & Co lucky to beat New Zealand first-up

Harmanpreet Singh

The Harmanpreet Singh-led Indian hockey team must count themselves lucky for extracting three valuable points in their opener against New Zealand on Saturday. They owe this to Great Britain's video umpire Hannah Harrison, who possibly awarded them their second and third goal in the 3-2 victory. In fact, even India's first goal - a tap-in by Mandeep Singh for 1-1 - came under rather unconvincing circumstances.

In the 24th minute, when Mandeep tapped the ball in during a goalmouth melee, he looked to have impeded New Zealand's Nic Woods, who fell to the ground. The Kiwis were unhappy and asked on-field umpire Marcin Grochal of Poland to go for a video referral. And even as Mandeep kept looking up sheepishly for the video referral's outcome, Harrison gave the decision in India's favour and the goal stood.

India's second goal was more diabolical. It was Vivek Sagar Prasad (34th minute) this time, who tapped in after a goalmouth scramble. However, TV replays suggested that the ball had not crossed the goalline before it was cleared by New Zealand's Tarrant Blair.

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On-field umpire Martin Madden of Great Britain signalled for a goal, but the New Zealanders sought a video referral. This time, video umpire Harrison said that there was "no advice possible" which meant that the on-field umpire's call stood and India got the goal. Finally, in the dying moments of the match with the score locked at 2-2, umpire Madden awarded a penalty stroke to India which might not have been.

Interestingly, moments earlier, Madden had awarded a stroke when the ball struck New Zealand's Simon Child's foot on the goalline off Harmanpreet's drag flick. However, Madden was corrected by Grochal, who told him that the ball was not heading towards the goal, so he changed his decision to a penalty corner.

Then, off the very next drag flick, the ball ricocheted off NZ goalkeeper Dominic Dixon and struck Child on the body again and Madden once again blew for a stroke, which Harmanpreet eventually converted to make it 3-2. This time too, TV replays showed that the ball was not heading towards the goal when it struck Child and the right decision would have been a penalty corner.

World No. 6 India next play Rio Olympic champions Argentina on Monday and have World No. 3 Australia, reigning Olympic champs Belgium and Ireland for company in a tough Group B from which the top four teams will go through. While qualification for the Playoffs should not be difficult, India will need to pull up their socks as initial impressions suggest that the defence is sluggish, the attack seems blunt.