Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Ipoh (Malaysia), March 4
India found themselves at the receiving end of star penalty corner specialist Gonzalo Peillat as they lost 2-3 against Rio Olympics champions Argentina in their opening match of the Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament.
All the goals of the rain-affected match came off penalty corners with Peillat sounding the board in the 13th, 24th and 33rd minutes while Amit Rohidas (26th, 31st) scored for India. Play was stopped for nearly an hour in the fourth quarter due to heavy rain and thunderstorm.
India dominated the first quarter as their young forwards pushed the Argentina defenders to create space in the striking circle. Talwinder Singh and debutant Sumit Kumar were impressive as they attempted to beat Argentina’s experienced goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi early in the match.
India made as many as four circle entries against Argentina’s two and it was Sumit Kumar’s burst to the baseline that gave India hopes of their first goal within the first ten minutes of the match, but the Argentina defenders were defiant.
Minutes later, a long ball assist to Talwinder was picked up well but he could not quite make an effective connect to put it past Vivaldi. Though India did well to limit Argentina’s shots on the goal, an infringement in the Indian circle helped Isidoro Ibarra earn Argentina their first penalty corner of the match. With world-class drag-flicker Peillat in their ranks, giving away penalty corners meant trouble for India.
Peillat’s first attempt was blocked by first runner Amit Rohidas. But the second penalty corner was converted by Peillat in the 13th minute to give Argentina a 1-0 lead.
It was the penalty corners that Argentina relied on and it did not help India’s cause when they conceded another in the 24th minute. The mistake was punished by Peillat again as he broke no sweat to convert. A diving Indian goalkeeper Krishan Pathak could do little to save the powerful dragflick.
Two minutes later, India won three back-to-back penalty corners. After the first two attempts had to be re-taken due to infringements, India were third-time lucky as Amit Rohidas improvised on Ramandeep Singh’s pass, keeping low, finding the left pocket of the net.
The 26th minute goal narrowed the deficit to 1-2 and India did well in the following minutes to keep the Argentina forwards in check. Though they forced India to make an error in the circle, winning yet another penalty corner in the 27th minute, the attempt was brilliantly blocked by India’s first runner. Coming into the third quarter, India struck early as forward Sumit Kumar was aggressive on the baseline to fetch India their fourth penalty corner of the match. Rohidas made no mistake, giving India an equaliser (2-2) in the 31st minute. It was all about penalty corners for Argentina as Peillat struck his third goal in the 34th minute, taking Argentina’s lead to 3-2.
