Paris: The Indian men’s hockey team produced one of the most courageous performances ever seen from them over the last few decades to storm into the semifinals of the Paris Olympics and keep alive their hopes of winning a second successive medal.
Down to 10 men after the vastly experienced central defender Amit Rohidas was handed a straight red card for a reckless raised-stick challenge on William Calnan midway through the second quarter, India exhibited exemplary defensive discipline to hold Great Britain 1-1 before scoring a spirited 4-2 win in the ensuing shoot-out at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium.
While the whole team deserves a lot of credit for not losing heart despite the numerical advantage Great Britain possessed for 42 minutes — which is a heck of a lot of time — and defended like their lives depended on the game, the man of the match was undoubtedly PR Sreejesh.
The goalkeeper, playing in his final tournament and determined to cap a long and glorious career with a second Olympic medal following two Asian Games golds, produced a string of sensational saves to keep India in the game till the end. If not for his quick-feet thinking during several of Britain’s raids, India could have ended up paying a heavy price for Rohitdas’ moment of brain freeze.
Easily one of the finest custodians to have played the sport, the 36-year-old then stepped up in the shoot-out where the job had to be completed. A master on such occasions, having hitherto won 12 of 22 of the shoot-outs he was involved in, Sreejesh extended his good record when he forced Conor Williamson to shoot over the post. He then pulled a fine save off Phillip Roper to leave India on the threshold of victory, as they led 3-2.
Raj Kumar Pal then calmly converted the fourth attempt as the historic venue, packed with Indian diaspora, celebrated a famous triumph with coach Craig Fulton hugging and kissing several of the players. Great Britain players were crestfallen, many reduced to tears after messing up a great opportunity.
In fact, Great Britain were the ones who made a positive start to the opening quarterfinal clash under a balmy Paris summer sun. They did the early pressing following a cagey start, asking India all the questions. India were happy to play deep, hoping to pounce on counter-attacks through their fast wing-play. It was a good counter-punching start.
Things then took a turn for the worse for India after Rohitdas was sent off early in the second quarter. Although India felt it should have been a yellow, video umpire Benjamin Goentgen, after careful deliberation, reckoned Rohitdas deserved to be sent off. India argued their case but even they knew they couldn't get away with daylight mugging, that too under CCTV surveillance.
It was going to be an Herculean challenge from there on but Harmanpreet egged on his wards to not give up. He wanted them to forget the incident and lay it all on the field like soldiers at the battlefront. He gave them hope too when he scored off a penalty corner in the 22nd minute and he celebrated by repeatedly clenching his fists.
That hope, however, was quickly diminished when Lee Morton equalised for Great Britain five minutes later. Indian shoulders sagged a bit but Harmanpreet once again rallied his troops. He wanted to keep fighting and they rose to his calls in spectacular fashion.
Together, they repelled wave after wave of Britain’s attack. Attacking midfielders adorned defensive cloaks and stunted every Britain charge. The times Britain broke through the barriers, Sreejesh stood like a rock, letting nothing past him. Every bullet repelled was celebrated like a triumph.
Things got extremely difficult when their battered bodies were put through the wringer by Britain right towards the end. It was tense and tested the physical and mental resilience of India. Harmanpreet and his gutsy warriors, however, stood strong to carve out a win that India had been craving for a long time.