New Delhi: India outplayed Germany in the second bilateral match by an outright aggressive mindset to seal 5-3 win comprehensively. The two-match series was levelled at 1-1 and was decided through a penalty shootout. Germany, who defeated India in the semifinals of the Paris Olympics this year, once again prevailed by a 3-1 margin the shootouts.
Indian skipper Harmanpreet Singh and Sukhkjeet Singh scored a brace each while Abhishek added one to power India to a tremendous comeback after reeling at 0-1 in the first half. Mazkour Elian scored twice for Germany – each in either side of the halfs – before Henrik Mertgens scored in the dying minutes of the match to cut down the deficit.
The five-shootout decider was won by Germany with Florian Sperling, Matteo Poljaric, and Malte Hellwig finding the targets. Debutant Aditya Arjun Lalage was the only Indian to hit the penalty shootout with the likes of Harmanpreet Singh, Abhishek and Vivek Sagar Prasad missing out on the scoresheet.
Germany won the first match by a 2-0 margin on Wednesday before going down to the hosts in a thrilling match. The reigning world champions will leave carrying the bilateral series trophy. For India, it was a great fightback to give something for their home crowd to cheer for after an insipid performance in the last match.
Germany put India under pressure right from the start
India started the pass but Jarmanpreet Singh lost the initial possession. The Indian defender, however, ensured that Germany’s attempt to make the first circle penetration was nullified in the opening minute.
The Men in Blue were awarded the first penalty corner after Mandeep Singh was challenged down the pitch. But a challenge from the Germans cancelled the PC shot.
It was just another day and another counterattack by Germans have put them on the scoresheet. Mazkour Elian received a brilliant pass from Luca and then turned around a half-away to his right in an awkward angle before slotting the cross wide past Krishan Bahadur Pathak. The minuscule size of German supporters in the stands were pumped up.
In the last six minutes of the quarter, India earned three penalty corners, and with each coming, the execution only turned fragmentary. The players receiving the injection in the second attempt completely missed to pick the ball. In the third take, Harmanpreet took the mantle to struck the shot but not before selling a dummy. India seemed a bit off with the penalty corners in the first half, missing as many as five attempts.
There were some heated argument was seen between German captain Tom Gramvusch and Indian player Sumit while the referral for India being awarded a sixth penalty corner was on. The Germans had last laugh after winning their second challenge on the trot.
When Jarmanpreet Singh passed after moving into the circle in the 11th minute, none of the forwards Abhishek and Shamsher came closest to the range of the goalpost. The ball was passed to the three German defenders, who, for a while, thought they were blocking Indians before they hold on to it. India walked off with a 0-1 trail.
The comeback has to be greater than setback
For a complete match and a half, the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium wasn’t at its absolute loudest until Sukhjeet scored the first goal for the Men in Blue across the two matches. The crowd was having its time and whistling and bustling to ensure Germans didn’t feel it easy. The life restored near the national capital’s iconic India Gate with the spectators having a series of moments to shout atop as Indian team galore goals.
Harmanpreet Singh scored back-to-back goals from as many penalty corners. Abhishek and Sukhjeet added one from the field goals with Sukhjeet’s second was a goal that described his hunger, running ability, diving crossword before hiiting the low cross past Jean-Paul Danneberg. The goals shifted the momentum in India’s favour.
Some slippery moments from players from both ends
Earlier in the quarter, Germany missed the chance with Henrik Mertgens shooting past the right of the target. A couple of German fielders slipped near the midline on either sides of the courts in between, apparently excsessive of water on the field. Even Indian forward Abhishek sprinted for an open ball but slowed down when he was inches closer from the spherical object. The ball later went past the corner line. Vishnukant was taken off the pitch after his stick clattered with a German defender, leaving the youngster in grief.
Germans hit twice in the final minutes
Elian pulled one back to cut the deficit for the tourists, striking his second goal of the match. Mertgens dig deep to find the last-second gasp as Germany finished at 3-5. The Germans didn’t see to get wore off despite the testing weather conditions.
Mandeep Singh tossed the ball outside the lines for the hooter to go off. There was a lot of drama in the shootout. German keeper continued protest despite the referral favouring in India’s corner, leading the Paul Drabberg to face the boos from Indian spectators.
Nevertheless, Germany won the match when Malte Hellwig sent the ball in the bottom right corner of the goalpost, leaving Pathak and his teammates dejected for not being able to settle the final battle despite showing wayward determination in the second half of the second Test.
