India wins first medal in Olympic hockey for 41 years

On Aug 5, 2021

TOKYO, August 5 – India accounted for their first Olympic Medal in hockey in 41 years when their Men’s team edged out Germany 5-4 in their third place playoff match of the Men’s hockey competition at the 2020 Olympic Games continued here today.

In the final played under lights today, Belgium enjoyed a sweet 5-4 win in a penalty shootout after their Gold Medal decider ended in a 1-1 draw.

The Indian Men were in a comfortable 3-1 lead but the Germans produced some superb play before going down fighting 4-5.

Heartbroken Germans thus finished fourth, narrowly missing what would have been their first medal at an Olympics since Sydney 2000. Starting quickly at the Oi Hockey Stadium here, Germany took the lead early in the second minute with a deflected goal from Timur Oruz.

Indian goal-keeper Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh kept out the shots though the German midfielders dominated the quarter.

India’s Simranjeet Singh scored the equaliser early in the second quarter before Germany restored the lead through Niklas Wellen to make it 2-1.

Benedikt Furk then shot into an unguarded net after India conceded possession. Two penalty corners for India saw Hardik Singh score on the rebound from the first while Harmanpreet Singh nailed the second. Thus, the two teams went to the half time with the scores level at 3-3

India started brightly in the third quarter earning a penalty stroke in the first minute from which Rupinder Pal Singh scored to extend India’s lead to 4-3.

Simranjeet, three minutes later, scored his second goal of the game to extend India’s lead to 5-3.

Germany fought back and scored another goal in the fourth quarter courtesy of Lukas Windfeder but it was too late as India scraped through for an exciting 5-4 win and with it took the Bronze Medal.

The Gold Medal decider became even more interesting and competitive as Belgium and Australia displayed some fast and exciting hockey. The first two quarters were evenly contested though there wasn’t any scoring done.

But Belgium opened scoring midway in the third to go 1-0 after the first three quarters. Australia found the equaliser in the final quarter as the normal time ended at one-all. Ultimately, it was the penalty shootout that differentiated the Gold and Silver Medallists.

In tomorrow’s women’s hockey finals, India will meet Great Britain for the Bronze Medal followed by the flood-lit Gold Medal match between the Netherlands and Argentina.

Netherlands entered the Women’s hockey final, crushing Great Britain 5-1. In the second game played under lights today, Argentina beat India 2-1.