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Indian Hockey Stars Harmanpreet, Hardik, and Abhishek Break â‚ą70 Lakh Barrier at HIL Auction

04 mins

India’s captain and vice-captain were expectedly the most sought-after in the first session of the Hockey India League player auctions as Harmanpreet Singh and Hardik Singh got the paddles going in full swing. Harmanpreet was signed up by the JSW Sports-owned Soorma Hockey Club for Rs 78 lakh, while his deputy Hardik went to UP Rudras for Rs 70 lakh. Somewhat of a surprise was Indian forward Abhishek getting a bid of Rs 72 lakh to split Harmanpreet and Hardik, going to Bengal Tigers. The Sonepat forward has established himself as a regular of the first team under Craig Fulton, being a fixture in the Asian Games and Olympics squads. The HIL player auction began with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games bronze medallists, and it was no surprise to see Hardik and Harmanpreet cause the most intense bidding war. Harmanpreet is one of the foremost drag-flickers in the world currently and was the overall top-scorer at Paris 2024 with 10 goals. Harmanpreet scored six goals during the 2017 Hockey India League and was named Upcoming Player of the Tournament. At the Asian Champions Trophy recently, he crossed the 200-goal milestone and currently has 205 goals in 234 appearances for the Indian team. “There could be nothing better for Indian hockey than the Hockey India League. It was a great learning experience the last time around and I am sure all hockey players are excited to take part in the League. It will be a great opportunity for the youngsters as well to rub shoulders with the best players from across the globe, observe the subtle differences in the way they think, the way they play and try to inculcate the good habits that they notice,” Harmanpreet had told Hockey India recently. A short while before Harmanpreet’s bid – likely to be the most expensive at this auction – Hardik fetched a handsome sum from the Lucknow franchise. The Indian vice captain is one of the best midfielders in a world, his all-round game making him the heartbeat of the national side. He too is a two-time Olympic bronze medallist. Fomer India captain Manpreet Singh was signed up by Vizag franchise Team Gonasika for Rs 42 lakh, The auction will unfold over three days, with the men’s auction taking place on 13th and 14th October, followed by the women’s auction on 15th October. Each franchise will build a 24-player squad, comprising 16 Indian players (including four junior players) and 8 foreign players.

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India vs Great Britain Quarterfinal, Paris Olympics 2024: India Advances to Semifinals After Thrilling Shootout Win

07 mins

Indian hockey team in semifinals : India vs Great Britain Live Score, Men\’s Hockey Quarterfinals Paris Olympics 2024: PR Sreejesh delivered another heroic performance, making incredible saves throughout the 60 minutes and standing tall during the penalty shootouts with a crucial save. His smart goalkeeping even forced Britain\’s Conor Williamson to miss the mark. India showcased remarkable spirit, playing nearly 42 minutes with one player down but fought like true warriors. Their solid defensive resilience allowed them to outclass Great Britain and secure a place in the semifinals. Penalty Shootout: India vs Great Britain Live Score, Men\’s Hockey Quarterfinals Paris Olympics 2024: Rajkumar makes it four in four for India as they beat Great Britain in the penalty shootout to reach the semifinals. The Indian penalty takers held their nerves well here and Sreejesh was once again the hero for them. India beat Great Britain 4-2(1-1) in penalty shootouts to reach semifinals India vs Great Britain Live Score, Men\’s Hockey quarterfinals Paris Olympics 2024: Veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh produced a stellar performance in India\’s iconic 4-2 win over Great Britain in the penalty shootout. The Indian team was one man down for about 42 minutes, but the 10 players in the middle fought like warriors throughout the match and took it into the penalties. The Indian penalty takers held their nerves well in the shootout and converted their chances but it was Sreejesh who once again proved to be the Great Wall of India with a couple of incredible saves. Earlier, Lee Morton scored the equaliser for Great Britain at half time to make it 1-1. He was in the right place at the right time to put the ball inside goal. For India, Harmanpreet Singh once again scored the goal, opening the scoring here from the penalty corner to put the Asian giants ahead in the game but Morton equalised quickly for Britain. The Indian men’s hockey team is all set to take on Great Britain in the 2024 Paris Olympics hockey quarterfinals at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium in Colombes. India, who are fifth in hockey rankings, finished second in Pool B, with 10 points from five matches. They had already qualified for the quarters after beating Ireland and New Zealand, before holding Argentina to a 1-1 draw. Although they lost 1-2 against defending champions Belgium in their next match, they secured a second spot in the table, behind the unbeaten Black Sticks, after beating the mighty Australian side 3-2 in their final group game. It was, in fact, their first win against the Kookaburras in 52 years at the Olympics. Great Britain, on the other hand, finished third in Pool A, with eight points from five matches. Although they started their campaign in Paris on a winning note, beating Spain 4-0, Great Britain were held to a 2-2 draw against both South Africa and Netherlands. They bounced back eventually to take down host nation France 1-2, which guaranteed them a spot in the quarterfinals. However, they ended their group-stage campaign with 1-2 loss against table-toppers Germany, which saw them slip to the third spot on the table from the second. Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh will be the player to watch out for, having scored six goals so far in the competition, which makes him the second-highest scorer. For Great Britain, Gareth Furlong leads the scoring chart with three goals. This is the second straight time India will be hoping to make the semifinals at the Games. In Tokyo, it was Great Britain, whom India beat in the quarters to make their first semifinal since clinching the gold medal in 1980. India now stand two wins away from assuring themselves a 13th medal in men\’s hockey, eight of which are golds. Great Britain, on the other hand, are yet to win an Olympic hockey medal in 36 years, having last finished on the podium at Seoul 1988 by beating West Germany 3-1 in the final. Since the last Olympics, India have faced Great Britain four times, all in the FIH Pro League 2023-24, and managed just one win, via shootout. For more Paris Olympics News visit : Home , News

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FIH INDIAN WOMEN HOCKEY TEAM DEFEATED BY 3-1 BY NETHERLAND

FIH Pro League: Heavyweights Netherlands beat India 3-1

officialsquarexsports05 mins

The Indian women’s hockey team faced a challenging encounter in the FIH Pro League, succumbing to a 1-3 defeat against the Netherlands in Bhubaneswar. This marked their second consecutive loss in the tournament, following a defeat to China the previous day. The match showcased India’s persistent struggle with penalty corners, a critical aspect of modern hockey, as they squandered six opportunities, a weakness that proved costly in the end. The game began with India’s goalkeeper Savita Punia being immediately called into action, making successive saves to deny the Netherlands an early lead. However, the opposition was soon awarded a penalty corner, and Yibbi Jansen, the season’s leading goal-scorer, capitalized on the opportunity, firing a powerful shot down the middle to put the Netherlands in front. Undeterred, India mounted a spirited counter-attack, catching the Netherlands off guard. Sunelita Toppo made a decisive run down the right wing and delivered a precise pass to Navneet Kaur at the top of the shooting circle. Navneet, displaying her goal-scoring prowess, turned and unleashed a thunderous strike, leveling the score and bringing India back into contention. The second quarter saw both teams creating goal-scoring opportunities. The Netherlands came close to regaining the lead when Pien Dicke maneuvered past the Indian defense, only for her shot to hit the post and deflect away. On the other end, Sunelita found herself in acres of space and set up Vandana Katariya for a one-on-one chance with the Netherlands’ goalkeeper Josine Koning, who managed to diffuse the situation. However, the Netherlands didn’t stay on the defensive for long. Laura Nunnink initiated a counter-attack, swiftly passing to Fay van der Elst, who dove to deflect the ball past Savita, restoring the Netherlands’ lead. Despite both teams earning a couple of penalty corners, the scoreline remained 2-1 at halftime. Third Quarter (FIH) The third quarter saw the Netherlands intensifying their pressure on India. Jansen extended their lead with another powerful drag flick from a penalty corner, making it 3-1. Savita, who had been a crucial figure in goal for India, had little chance against Jansen’s precision. The Netherlands earned another penalty corner, but Savita thwarted the shot, showcasing her resilience. India, trailing by two goals, pushed forward in search of a comeback. They succeeded in pushing the Netherlands back but struggled to find the final pass to convert opportunities. The fourth quarter saw both teams creating back-to-back chances. India earned a penalty corner early in the quarter, but the Netherlands’ defense held firm. As the game progressed, the Netherlands aimed to extend their lead, with Jansen attempting a reverse shot from the top of the shooting circle, only for it to bounce off the post again. The Netherlands maintained control in the final period, effectively managing the ball to run down the clock and secure a 3-1 victory. In summary, India’s women’s hockey team faced a tough challenge against the Netherlands, grappling with penalty corner struggles and missed opportunities. The team showed moments of resilience and attacking flair but fell short against a determined Dutch side. Addressing these shortcomings will be crucial as they continue their journey in the FIH Pro League, aiming for improvement and success in future encounters. FOR LATEST SPORTS NEWS CLICK HERE For More Tech Related News Visit Here

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Indian women’s hockey team to miss Paris Olympics after 0-1 loss to Japan

officialsquarexsports03 mins

The Indian women’s hockey team faced a significant setback in their quest for Olympic qualification as they lost 1-0 to Japan in the third-place playoff at the FIH Olympic qualifier in Ranchi. The defeat means that India will not be able to participate in the Paris Olympics, following their semifinal finish at the Tokyo Olympics. Japan secured their victory with a goal from Kana Urata’s penalty corner conversion midway through the first quarter. Despite India’s dominance in possession and territorial advantage in the later quarters, they failed to find the back of the net, struggling against Japan’s solid defense. Despite having nine penalty corners, India couldn’t convert any, and their attempts to break down Japan’s organization proved futile. Captain Savita Punia might reflect on the conceded goal, as it went through her legs during an attempt to kick it away. The toll of the previous night’s semifinal shootout defeat to Germany seemed evident in India’s performance, as they started the game on the back foot. The team seemed to lack a clear plan, resorting to hopeful hits into the circle rather than a strategic approach. Even when Japan received a late green card, reducing them to ten players, India’s coach Janneke Schopman didn’t opt to remove the goalkeeper for an extra outfield player. This decision raised questions, as an additional player might have created more opportunities, especially when Japan had one less defender. The disappointing outcome in Ranchi adds to India’s recent struggles, including underwhelming performances in the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 Asian Games. The teary end in Ranchi could potentially jeopardize Schopman’s position as India’s coach, as achieving Olympic qualification was considered a minimum requirement. While India had their moments during the week in Ranchi, they fell short in crucial situations. Japan’s disciplined adherence to their game-plan frustrated India, ultimately earning them the win and a spot in the Paris Olympics.

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India miss the goals, miss consistency, miss out on Olympics

officialsquarexsports05 mins

It is a cruel blow for Indian hockey. Almost three years since the Indian women’s team finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, they suffered a devastating loss in the third-place playoff against Japan at the FIH Women’s Hockey Olympic Qualifiers in Ranchi and will miss the Paris Olympics. While it seemed like Indian hockey and the women’s team were starting a positive chapter with their performances in Tokyo, Japan endured a tough campaign at home. The women’s team lost all their matches. Now, under head coach Jude Menezes, the former India goalkeeper, Japan have turned their fortunes around and qualified for the Paris Games with a 1-0 win over India. We take a look at India’s takeaways from what eventually turned out to be a dismal tournament: Inconsistent performances hamper India In a tournament where the top three teams were guaranteed qualification for the Paris Olympics, India ended up fourth. They did not play to their strengths against the USA but did well in the next two games to win them. They lost a close semifinal against the Germans and then failed to break down Japan’s defence. After being pretty ordinary against the USA, India found the goals, mainly through Salima Tete and Udita Duhan, to win against New Zealand and Italy. India qualified for the semifinal, but it was evident that they needed improvement, in terms of other players contributing. They did that against Germany, where the team finally clicked as a unit. India defended well and took their chances under pressure with the match ending 2-2 in regulation time. But strangely, the team faltered in the next match against Japan where their attack and defence (at least in the first half) struggled. India conceded two penalty corners in the opening five minutes of the first quarter and Japan scored from the second chance. Not just the goal-scoring chance, India allowed Japan to dominate in the first half, leaving plenty of open spaces in midfield and defence. Even the best falter at crunch time The inconsistency also came to bite arguably India’s two best players from this tournament – Salima Tete and Udita – who both had off days against Japan. Salima, whose finishing improved massively over the year, missed a golden chance in the dying minutes of the match. She had the ball inside the circle on the left, she did well to control it and went for a shot but missed the target. There were two Indian players — Nisha Warsi and Jyothi in front of goal and ready to receive the pass but it ended up being a bad choice to shoot and a bad miss from Salima. In terms of chance creation as well, she didn’t do enough when her team needed her the most. Udita, meanwhile, was guilty of leaving too much space behind her in the backline which allowed Japan to dominate the left side of the field. She missed a couple of her tackles in the opening quarter, which resulted in Japan entering the circle from the left and creating goal-scoring chances. While she was successful with her penalty corners in the previous matches, she failed against Japan despite multiple attempts. Eventually, India did not convert any of their nine penalty corners.

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