Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, as it happened: Peillat's PC hat-trick helps Argentina edge past India
With the clock ticking down to the World Cup, a lot rides on how the young players step up.
Result: In a game of penalty corners, an exuberant but inexperienced Indian side came second best.
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IND 2-3 ARG: Argentina win 3-2 as a young Indian side put up a brave fight against the Olympic champions. A spirited effort by India. Next up is defending champions England on Sunday. Do tune in at 1:30pm.
IND 2-3 ARG as the final quarter begins: Yellow card to Sumit as India are down to 10 men for the rest of the game. 46 fouls to India compared to Argentina’s 20.
IND 2-3 ARG in the final quarter: After a 45-minute break due to rain, the players are back on. India will be looking for their third goal to tie the score.
IND 2-3 ARG in the final quarter: Rain plays spoilsport with 11 minutes to go. Match has been suspended due to adverse weather.
Gonzalo Peillat is inching towards the Sohail Abbas, Taeke Taekema level of penalty corner mastery #hockey
— Mihir Vasavda (@mihirsv) March 3, 2018
The game came alive in Q3 but only for first three min, cagey after that. Rohidas scored his second and Peillat completed his hat-trick. ARG 3-2 IND #hockey
— Jaspreet Sahni (@JaspreetSSahni) March 3, 2018
IND 2-3 ARG as the final quarter begins: Can India find that third goal. It has started raining heavily in Ipoh.
End of third quarter: Argentina press well to peg India back but Sjoerd Marijne’s side made a couple of decent circle entries, but had nothing to show for it. An intriguing fourth quarter awaits us. There is every chance both teams will throw the kitchen sink.
GOAL!!! IND 2-3 ARG – It’s a hat-trick for Gonzalo Peillat It’s a game of quality penalty corners and it is yet another first-rate strike by the Argentinian. Pathak is having a nightmare in front of goal as he is beaten low to his right time.
GOAL!!! IND 2-2 ARG Another superb conversion from the youngster and this was India’s fourth penalty corner of the game. Ramandeep with the ejection and Rohidas strikes it high and into the root of the net, beyond the reach of the keeper’s dive to his right.
At half-time, ARG 2 - 1 IND. The Indians will be happy to have pulled one back through Amit Rohidas, but midfield needs to be more fluid. Sardar not in his elements yet. #hockey @azlancup
— Jaspreet Sahni (@JaspreetSSahni) March 3, 2018
The first two quarters of the match has been entertaining to say the least. Argentina lead 2-1 as India have fought back brilliantly after being 2-0 down.
India get their first penalty corner. But Varun Kumar fails to score in the first two attempts. However, in the third attempt Amit Rohidas scores to give India their opening goal. India 1 Argentina 2.
A green card for Surendra Kumar as Argentina gear up for their third penalty corner. And once again Peillat scores to make it 2-0. India’s defence has been below par today.
The second quarter has begun with India looking to equalize. Despite all the running, India can’t break down the Argentina defence.
End of the first quarter as Argentina lead 1-0 against India. Gonzalo Peillat’s PC conversion has hurt India who were clearly the better team in the first 15 minutes.
First penalty corner of the match to Argentina. But they are unsuccessful. However, a second attempt sees them score as Krishan Pathak fails to save it. Argentina 1 India 0.
After 10 minutes, it is still goalless between India and Argentina. India’s strong midfield have been successful to keep the Argentina’s strikers at bay. India will look to score on the counter.
After 5 minutes into the match, India’s Nilam Xess gets the first shot. However, it was saved by the Argentina goalkeeper.
And we are off! A young Indian side take on the Olympic champions at Ipoh, Malaysia. India have begun with caution.
The Azlan Shah Cup is a round robin tournament as all six teams will face each other.
India last played against Argentina in the Hockey World League Final in Bhubaneswar where the hosts lost in the semi-final 0-1.
Here is the starting line-up for Indian Men's Hockey Team as they lock horns with Argentina in the opening match of the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup on 3rd March 2018. Catch the action LIVE on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD and Hotstar from 1:30 PM IST.#IndiaKaGame pic.twitter.com/btkDRyBMUE
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) March 3, 2018
Hello and welcome to the live updates of India’s Sultan Azlan Shah Cup opener against Argentina. The clock is ticking towards Bhubneshwar 2018 and India have a task at hand in their tournament opener against the Olympic champions. India’s warm-up match – a 1-2 loss against Australia – didn’t go to plan.
This is a crucial year for Indian hockey. During the next ten months, the men’s team will be competing in six major tournaments, which includes the World Cup in Bhubaneswar on November 28 – a tournament the men in blue haven’t won since 1975.
And on the road to World Cup glory, the first stop is in Malaysia. India have won the tournament five times in the past. Their last win, however, came in 2010 when they shared the trophy with South Korea. Since then, they were runners-up in 2016 and finished third three times.
This time around, coach Sjoerd Marijne is going to take it match by match and hopes to win the title. “I am just aiming for good performance. If we have a good performance, we will play good matches and if we play good matches, we will win. I can’t talk about other teams at this moment. I don’t know what team Argentina will bring. Will they play all their senior players? I know Australia is coming with their full strength,” Marijne told The Field ahead of the tournament.