Hockey World Cup, Group D India vs Spain, as it happened: Amit, Hardik on target in 2-0 win

9.30 pm: That will be all for the blog. Goals from Rohidas and Hardik were enough for India to win their opening match 2-0. The top spot in the group currently goes to England who defeated Wales 5-0. The England vs India match, in Rourkela again on Sunday at 7 pm, will be a cracker.

Here’s what Amit Rohidas had to say after the match:

Hockey: Amit Rohidas’ rush to success

Player of the match: Odisha lad Amit Rohidas soaks in the atmosphere and the crowd roars along with him as he says thank you to them at the end. Given player of the match award, a popular choice at the venue for sure. Scored the first goal and was solid in defence.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain: Here’s a look at the full-time stats for the match. The possession numbers dropped for India understandably.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain: And it’s full time and time for fireworks too. An clinical performance by India it must be said. Nothing too flashy, good moments in attack and solid in defence for most part. Krishan Pathak did his reputation no harm in goal either with some key saves. Harmanpreet Singh would have liked to score a goal (missed a stroke) but bigger games await the captain to find the back of the net perhaps.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q4: Into the final minute and Spain burn their referral.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q4: India are back to XI. Survived the 10 min yellow card.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q4: Just as we said a while back, great tackle by Harman after a mistrap by Spain.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q4: PC for Spain. India still down to 10. Just over 2 mins to go in the match.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q4: Playing with confidence the Indians at the moment, managing the game well in midfield. Harman might not have scored today but he has been solid at the back.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q4: Pathak saves again from Cunill. The commentator had made a point in Q2 how the Spaniard does preview that side and this is closer to the Indian GK. Great rush by Rohidas too it must be said.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q4: PC stays, India lose their referral with 6.27 to go. Not good that.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q4: PC given to Spain, India review this. Perhaps just in hope?

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q4: Indiscipline has been a problem area for India in the build-up to the tournament but can’t fault Abhishek there. IT was a 50-50 ball and he got the ball too. Flip side, India do have a lot of experience playing with 10. Pressure from Spain there and Pathak with a good double save.

Dilip Unnikrishnan from the stadium: This is a much more disciplined performance from India compared to the last time these two teams met in the Pro League. No senseless lunges, no rushing into tackles. More about anticipating passes and pressing well enough to prevent Spain from creating chances... (to be fair to Dilip, he sent this update just before the yellow card!)

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain as Q4 starts: Oh dear, a 10-minute suspension for Abhishek who is shown a yellow card. Twist in the tale? Indiscipline has been a problem but that is so harsh on replays. He got the ball first.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain as Q4 starts: India will be a little bit worried they haven’t put this game to bed. Maybe some Mandeep mandatory goal in Q4? Spain are still in this very much.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q3: The replay shows clearly the ball taken away from Shamsher there. Not much he could do. Meanwhile, terrific long ball from Harmanpreet to Manpreet and it results in a PC... and Harmanpreet puts this just wide too. The angle is once again taking this wide all the way.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q3: How did India not score there? A good move down the right, the ball is into the box and the defender’s touch takes the ball just away from Shamsher.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q3: Harmanpreet Singh will have to wait longer for his first World Cup goal as captain. Just wide on the angle.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q3: PC for India.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q3: Yellow card for Spain, looks like a 5-min suspension for Marc Reyne.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q3: MISS! Harmanpreet Singh with a rare stroke miss. Super save by Adrian Rafi with some help from his groin. The ball stays on the line.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q3: Penalty stroke for India. Akashdeep tackled from behind.

First half stats: Good possession numbers for India but the shots count show Spain can’t be counted out just yet.

India coach Graham Reid: We made enough opportunities, but we need to produce outcomes from those. We need to be a bit more balanced (on which flanks to use as they went largely right and then got a chance from left). Just one half done, we need to focus (on the atmosphere at the venue).

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain and it is end of Q2: India withstood some pressure at the end but it is a deserved lead in the match at half time.

Pool D, India 2-0 Spain in Q2: GOAL INDIA! Terrific steal from Hardik near the halfway line and he goes all the way down the left flank, beats a couple of defenders and puts the ball in the middle that is deflected in. No own goals in hockey, so it’s a deserved goal to Hardik.

Pool D, India 1-0 Spain in Q2: Super save by Pathak, remains 1-0.

Pool D, India 1-0 Spain in Q2: Eventually, Spain’s spell of pressure results in a PC. Rash tackle by Shamsher.

Dilip Unnikrishnan from the stadium: Spain with a sustained period of possession but unable to really trouble the Indian defence

Hockey: Goalkeeper Krishan Pathak ready for the big stage, hardened by what life has thrown at him

Pool D, India 1-0 Spain in Q2: End of Q1 and start of Q2, it’s been all India. And five minutes into Q2, some solid possession for the visitors.

Dilip Unnikrishnan from the stadium: Nilakanta Sharma, Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh have been so good in the Indian midfield

Dilip Unnikrishnan from the stadium: What a moment for Amit Rohidas! Scoring his country’s first goal in the 2023 World Cup at his home turf. And what a moment too for the 20,000 odd Rourkela natives to see their boy score. Lovely scenes all over

Pool D, India 1-0 Spain in Q1: GOAL INDIA! Odisha’s very own Amit Rohidas with a stunning hit into the roof of the net to score India’s first goal of the World cup in front of his home fans. Harman with the flick that is blocked but Rohidas was quick to latch on to the rebound.

Pool D, India 0-0 Spain in Q1: India quickly win another PC. Meanwhile Cunill got a green card in the previous PC.

Pool D, India 0-0 Spain in Q1: India go the long route and Shamsher controls the ball superbly to win the first PC. Surprisingly, not Harmanpreet for the first one. Jarmanpreet goes for the hit and it is wide.

Pool D, India 0-0 Spain in Q1: India slowly starting to make their moves after a bit of a slow start. Akashdeep with the ball from the right, Mandeep couldn’t direct it in. More pressure from the right.

Pool D, India 0-0 Spain in Q1: India not pressing too high in the early stages but as I say that, Hardik steals the ball in midfield and combines well with Sukhjeet and Akashdeep. The final ball is not effective though.

Pool D, India 0-0 Spain in Q1: Even start to the match.

Pool D, India 0-0 Spain in Q1: And it is Spain with the first attacking threat on goal. A long ball from the right but Rohidas defends it well. Mandeep goes down the left on the counter but India can’t force a PC.

Pool D, India 0-0 Spain: PUSHBACK!

National anthems time. And here’s a look at the starting lineups.

Hockey World Cup: With great expectations, challenge for India will be to stay in the moment

Data check: At 3rd on the chart for average number of caps, the Indian team is mid-table for average age. Good mixture of youth and experience, as coach Reid puts it

A game of numbers: How BG Joshi became sole keeper of hockey records in India

6.49 pm: A Twitter thread of our stories in the lead-up to the tournament. From an interview with Harmanpreet Singh, who has been named captain for the tournament, to a feature on Krishan Pathak, some number-crunching about the squads and two great technical reads on the penalty corner routines... we have got you covered.

Follow Scroll.in’s coverage of the Hockey World Cup here.

06.45 pm: Hello all and welcome to our live coverage of the Indian team at the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023.

The build-up in Odisha has reached its fever pitch and it promises to be a cracking evening at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, which is set to host two of India’s three matches in the Group stage. The 20,000-plus seater stadium could very well filled to the brim and there will be plenty of support for Harmanpreet Singh and Co.

India begin their campaign in Group D with a tricky test against an opponent they have faced a few times recently. Spain are not the most experienced team here at the World Cup but they will be a handful, make no mistake.

Stats courtesy: TMS / FIH, Screenshots courtesy: TMS / Disney+Hotstar