Hockey World Cup 2023 Pool D: India beat Spain 2-0, England thrash Wales to send strong statement

The
iconic
stadium
made
its
debut
as
an
international
hockey
venue.

A
commanding
India
dished
out
a
superb
show
of
attacking
hockey
to
outplay
a
tricky
Spain
as
local
boy
Amit
Rohidas
was
among
the
goal
scorers
for
the
hosts.
Rohidas
struck
in
the
12th
minute
from
a
penalty
corner
to
the
wild
cheer
of
fans.

Hardik
Singh
scored
a
brilliant
field
goal
in
the
26th
minute
after
a
fine
solo
run
as
India,
chasing
their
first
medal
after
1975,
boosted
their
chances
of
making
it
to
the
quarterfinals.

HWC
2023
Fixtures
&

Results

The
score-line
did
not
reflect
the
degree
of
domination
by
India,
who
could
have
won
by
a
bigger
margin
but
the
world
number
six
team
did
not
allow
their
European
opponents,
ranked
two
rungs
below
them,
to
play
their
game.
India
got
five
penalty
corners
and
scored
from
the
second
one.

Captain
Harmanpreet
Singh
also
missed
a
penalty
stroke
in
the
third
quarter.
Young
goalkeeper
Krishan
Bahadur
Pathak
was
brilliant
in
front
of
the
bar
as
he
made
some
fine
saves,
including
from
penalty
corners.

Spain
were
always
a
tricky
opponent
for
India
but
it
was
the
home
team
which
dictated
the
terms
to
the
Europeans,
who
had
the
upper
hand
in
the
four
Pro
League
matches
last
year,
winning
two
and
losing
one.
The
Indians
were
quick
on
the
attack
as
well
as
in
counter-attack
and
won
a
lot
of
balls
from
their
opponents.

Spain
had
a
couple
of
chances
besides
three
penalty
corners,
which
they
wasted.
Spain
dominated
the
midfield
battle
in
the
initial
minutes
without
getting
any
scoring
chance.

India
settled
down
nicely
after
taking
a
measure
of
their
opponents
and
started
pressing
towards
the
end
of
the
first
quarter.
Most
of
the
attacks
began
from
the
right
flank
with
Nilakanta
Sharma,
Mandeep
Singh,
Akashdeep
Singh
and
Abhishek
in
the
thick
of
things.

India’s
incessant
pressing
paid
off
as
they
got
three
penalty
corners
in
quick
succession
and
took
the
lead
in
the
12th
minute
of
the
second
one
through
Rohidas.
Harmanpreet’s
drag-flick
came
off
the
stick
of
a
Spanish
defender
and
the
ball
fell
to
Rohidas
whose
powerful
hit
beat
the
Spanish
goalkeeper
all
ends
up.

Just
a
minute
later,
India
got
another
penalty
corner
but
Harmanpreet
failed
to
find
the
target.
Just
before
the
end
of
the
first
quarter,
Abhishek
outwitted
a
couple
of
Spanish
defenders
inside
the
circle
but
the
efforts
did
not
result
in
a
goal.
Nilakanta
also
took
a
shot
but
sent
it
wide.

The
second
quarter
also
went
almost
identical
as
the
first,
as
action
remained
mostly
in
the
Indian
half
initially
as
Spain
pressed
hard
for
the
equaliser.
But
four
minutes
from
half-time,
Hardik
made
a
fantastic
run
down
the
left
channel
and
then
sent
a
cross
on
the
face
of
the
goal.
It
beat
the
Spanish
goalkeeper
and
forced
a
defender
to
deflect
it
in
for
India’s
second
goal.

Spain
got
their
first
penalty
corner
soon
but
wasted
it.
The
third
quarter
did
not
yield
any
goal
but
had
plenty
of
drama
as
captain
Harmanpreet
wasted
a
penalty
stroke
in
the
32nd
minute.
His
effort
was
ruled
to
have
been
saved
by
the
Spanish
keeper
after
a
video
referral
by
India.

Earlier
in
the
day,
England
thrashed
neighbours
Wales
5-0
in
another
Pool
D
match.
The
world’s
number
five
side
literally
toyed
with
Wales’s
defenders
at
the
same
venue.

The
English
cleared
their
intentions
straightaway
as
they
scored
a
goal
in
the
first
minute
of
the
game
and
set
the
tone
for
themselves.

Captain
Ames
David
and
his
team
put
up
a
dominant
show
on
the
pitch
and
they
couldn’t
have
asked
for
a
better
start
to
their
campaign.

After
taking
an
early
lead
in
the
first
minute
of
play
courtesy
of
a
field
goal
from
Park
Nicholas,
England
scored
one
goal
each
in
the
first
and
second
quarters.
They
came
back
strongly
after
half-time
and
scored
a
brace
in
the
third
quarter.

Ansell
Liam
(27′ and
37′)
converted
two
penalty
corners
in
on
either
side
of
the
half-time
to
help
England
go
3-0
up.
Later,
Roper
Phil
(41′)
and
Bandurak
Nicholas
(57′)
also
scored
a
couple
of
field
goals
as
the
English
side
finished
5-0.