03 August,2024 07:30 AM IST | Paris | PTI
Harmanpreet Singh celebrates with Manpreet Singh after scoring India’s second goal against Australia in Paris. Pic/Getty Images
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The Indian men's hockey team beat Australia at the Olympic Games for the first time since 1972, outsmarting the formidable rivals 3-2 to finish second in Pool B, here on Friday.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh scored a brace as India registered the famous win over Tokyo Games silver medallist and nemesis Australia in its final pool match.
Already assured of a quarterfinal berth before Friday's encounter, the Indians played valiantly and dominated the proceedings for major part of the match to stun the Kookaburras, against whom they last won in Olympics in the 1972 Munich edition.
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It seemed India had saved their best for their last pool match, as it delivered a power-packed performance, playing attacking hockey from the beginning, and defending well throughout. Abhishek (12th) and Harmanpreet (13th, 33rd) scored for India while Tom Craig (25th) and Blake Govers (55) found the net for Australia.
With this win, India most likely will finish their pool engagements in the second position with nine points, finishing behind table toppers Belgium (12), who are yet to play a match. The pole position will not change even if Belgium loses its match against Argentina. The goal difference after that match will determine the final placing.
"It was an important match. We needed a match like this before the quarter-finals. From the start we put them under pressure. It's a proud moment to beat Australia," a proud Harmanpreet said after the match.
"We took it quarter by quarter. It's always said that Australia is a big team, although we don't approach the match with that mentality, it's big win for us."
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Meanwhile, veteran India custodian PR Sreejesh, regarded as the âWall of Indian hockey', said after the match: "I am playing with fourth generation in this team. Some were not even born when I started playing hockey. A few years back, players wanted to do it for Dhanraj Pillay. I am Dhanraj for this generation, they want to do it for me, what more you can you ask for."
