Azlan Shah Cup - The History Book of Indian Hockey

India Hockey Team Returns With Silver From Azlan Shah Cup

Indian Hockey Admin — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 09:24:24 +0000

The Indian hockey team returned home after clinching the silver medal at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia. India lost the finals to Australia to end with the silver medal at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup tournament.
The 2016 performance was the team’s best since 2010, when they won the gold at the tournament. India beat Japan, Canada, Pakistan and Malaysia in the tournament but lost the finals to Australia to end with the silver medal.
Fielding an experimental team, which featured a lot of young, inexperienced faces, they scored 18 goals in the tournament, the second most by any side.
Speaking after arriving in the country, captain Sardar Singh said, “This was a good experience for youngsters, who were playing with the senior team for the first time. In particular, Harmanpreet, Surender and Harjeet showed that they are capable of playing at the higher level and fit into the team perfectly.”
Coach Roelant Oltmans also added, “It is a good preparation for Rio. We have identified some of our weaknesses, which a tournament like this highlights, and can now work on them extensively to make sure we can have a strong showing at the Olympics.”

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New Zealand beat India 2-1 in Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2016 Match

Indian Hockey Admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 10:42:35 +0000

India after defeating Pakistan occupied the second spot on the points table, one ahead of their opponents for today- New Zealand. India thrashed Pakistan 5-1 to keep themselves in the hunt for a place in final two.
After defeating Japan in the opening match, India lost to Australia. However, after that, India bounced back to register wins again Canada and the latest over Pakistan.
New Zealand, on the other hand, has lost two out of their last three matches. New Zealand’s first two matches against Malaysia and Canada respectively ended in draws. They then defeated Pakistan and Japan. However, lost to Australia in their last encounter.
1st Quarter begins
3 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (0): It is quite humid out there, we are told. And there will be four-minute break between the 1st and 2nd quarter instead of tw0. Meanwhile, both the teams look relaxed up front.
5 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (0): New Zealand had the chance to score early but good save by goalkeeper Harjot Singh. Things start to heat up now. As both teams look aggressive.
7 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (0): New Zealand just faltering at the moment. India with some good defensive tactics up front. Meanwhile Mandeep Singh individually took on New Zealand defense, however at the last moment failed to put it into the goal
10 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (0): India looking to keep the ball in their possession and have been successful in this little period. Some good passing work by the Indians.
13 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (0): India not only keeping the possession but maintaining the pressure over New Zealand as well. This looks like will be a keenly fought battle.
15 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (0): End of 1st Quarter, both the teams fought hard in this goalless quarter. We will have an extended break of four minutes due to the hot weather. Coming back to the first quarter, both teams looked good with their defensive skills.
2nd Quarter begins
17 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (0): India start the second quarter with the possession. free hit offered to India as well. We can say, India start with momentum.
19 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (0): There was a little chance for India. However, some good work by Black sticks in their circle. Pushed it back.
20 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (0): India get the first Penalty Corner of the match. However, Black Sticks’ goalkeeper, Devon Manchester, saves it brilliantly. Good work by him.
24 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (0): New Zealand with the possession now. Important period in the games, as New Zealand look to take the momentum. India under little pressure right now.
26 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (0): Both the teams not giving an inch away. What a game so far. Both India and New Zealand look in control. We are now nearing the half time.
28 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (1): GOAL!!! New Zealand get first Penalty Corner of the match and there you go Kane Russell nets a goal. Good team work by New Zealand and they score just before the break.
30 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (1): That is Half Time. New Zealand go into the break with a lead. Kane Russell converted a penalty corner into a goal. Going into the break New Zealand will be the happier of two sides and why not.
3rd Quarter begins
33 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (1): India looking bit casual at the start of the third quarter. They need to up their game in this quarter.
35 Minutes Live Score India (0) vs New Zealand (1): The possession is with India, but they need to attack now. New Zealand have been excellent so far.Both teams got one penalty corner and only New Zealand capitalised on it.
36 Minutes Live Score India (1) vs New Zealand (1): GOAL!!! India level here. Mandeep Singh scores his first goal of the tournament and at what time. India desperately needed one here. Talwinder Singh smashed that in the circle, there was a deflection by Mandeep and it zips past goalkeeper. Looks like Mandeep was unaware of the goal at first!
40 Minutes Live Score India (1) vs New Zealand (1): Now that India has scored an equaliser, they look confident now and momentum has shifted back. New Zealand under bit of pressure at the moment.
41 Minutes Live Score India (1) vs New Zealand (1): GOAL!! Sloppy work by Indian defence there. Nick Wilson, in the circle, slogs it hard and it goes into the goalpost. Indian players were left with little time to react, but a better show was needed from them.
45 Minutes Live Score India (1) vs New Zealand (2): That is end of third Quarter. New Zealand conceded a goal but were able to get back the lead thanks to Nick Wilson goal.
4th Quarter begins
47 Minutes Live Score India (1) vs New Zealand (2): Second penalty corner awarded to India and they fail to capitalize on it. Devon Manchester with a brilliant save once again. He has been superb today.
50 Minutes Live Score India (1) vs New Zealand (2): New Zealand still leading by 2-1. India looking bit sloppy right now. Need to press hard for an equaliser as we near the end of this match.
54 Minutes Live Score India (1) vs New Zealand (2): Remember if India win, they go through to the finals. Otherwise will have to wait for other results and beat Malaysia in their last match as well. Meanwhile India fail to convert another Penalty Corner.
57 Minutes Live Score India (1) vs New Zealand (2): This is fast slipping away from India’s hands. New Zealand in control out there. India need to go on full attack in these dying moments of the game.
Full Time New Zealand 2 – India 1- That is it New Zealand win by 2-1. This was a keenly fought battle. However, Nick Wilson goal proved to be the difference between the two sides. Also India did miss out on three Penalty Corners.

The post New Zealand beat India 2-1 in Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2016 Match first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – India beat Japan 2-1

Indian Hockey Admin — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 12:24:17 +0000

Asian Games champions India came from a goal down to clinch an unimpressive 2-1 victory over hard-working Japan on the opening day of the 25th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament on Wednesday.
Squandering a series of scoring chances created by defence-splitting crosses that sailed across the goalmouth, India managed to earn full points against the lowly-ranked rivals through goals from young drag-flciker Harmanpreet Singh (24th minute) and captain Sardar Singh (32nd) after Kenji Kitazato (17th) gave Japan the lead.
Earlier, Pakistan banked on two goals from Muhammad Arslan Qadir to open their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Canada in extremely humid conditions at the Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium.
Qadir opened the account with a field goal in the 27th minute and converted a penalty corner a minute later to give Pakistan a two-goal lead. Canada then pulled one back through Richard Hildreth’s flash strike, but Muhammad Arshad capitalised on a 52nd-minute penalty corner to seal Pakistan’s victory.
In their opening match later in the day, India struggled to find a leeway through the hard-working Japanese outfit, nine of whose 18-member squad at this tournament are making their international debut.
After an early foray into the Japanese circle, the Indian strikers were not allowed break into the scoring zone by the rivals, who also managed to assert some pressure on the Indian defenders.
SV Sunil’s deflection on a diagonal cross from Ramandeep Singh went over the cross-bar before Japan stunned the Indian defence in the 17th minute. Kitazato converted Japan’s first penalty corner by placing a fine flick to the left of Indian goalkeeper Harjot Singh.
Taken aback by the reversal, the Indians began exerting some pressure and were rewarded with their first penalty corner that Harmanpreet converted through a drag-flick into the right corner in the 24th minute.
Skipper Sardar then capitalised on a short diagonal pass from Jasjit Singh Kular on the right wing to beat Japanese goalkeeper Takashi Yoshikawa with a reverse shot that went into the far corner of the goal two minute into the second half.
Indian strikers then had more than a couple of chances to deflect crosses into the Japanese goal, but were often caught on the wrong foot.
India will next play world champions Australia on Thursday. Just after the match India’s chief coach Roelant Oltmans said he was always confident of winning the encounter against Japan even after a rusty start.
“We did not have a good start today, but it is the just the beginning of a tournament,” said Oltmans, insisting that the young players he had fielded would gain a lot from playing in this tournament.
“We should have scored more goals and our control was well organised,” he said.
“Not even for a second did I not believe we would win this match. We will improve as the event progresses and the young players settle down.”
Oltmans said the Indian team must improve its ability to retain possession. “We need to improve in possession, but out performance shows that we are taking small steps forward,” he said.
The coach was pleased with the penalty corner conversion by Harmanpreet Singh that equalised for India.
Harmanpreet has emerged from the junior national team and this is his maiden international tournament.
“It was nice to see Harmanpreet score his first goal,” said Oltmans.
“That’s the sort of thing we want out of this tournament.”
Oltmans said tomorrow’s league fixture against World champions Australia will be the challenge in which he wants to test his side.

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