Boom (Belgium): At 4-0 after 22 minutes, it seemed that England would be white-washed in the bronze medal match. But India, generosity dripping from their hockey sticks, let England back into the game, allowing them to score thrice before holding onto the ball in the last few minutes to take the match and third place 4-3 in the Champions Challenge Hockey Tournament on Sunday.
It was probably the most fiery start in recent years from the Indian striking line.
Dilip Tirkey, playing at his best in the first half, displayed such solidity that his detractors (a few in recent times) would do well to tender an apology note.
Both Dilip and Gurbaj were at their best in the opening minutes. India opened the scoring sheets in the third minute when Gurbaj streaked into the English half and pushed the defence from the right of the striking circle before letting loose a cross that was fired in by Tushar Khandker. The Indian Airlines forward, Tushar, didn't make much of an impact in the previous matches. But today, his sprinting in the circle, trapping and predatory instincts, made everyone again realise the impact that he can have in the frontline.
Within three minutes of the first goal, India again gained possession, sped into the English half and Sardara Singh laid a cross for Tushar in the middle of the striking circle. Tushar's first timer, delivered full-blooded, went screaming into the English goal.
At 2-0, the Indians looked sharp and ready to decimate the opposition.
Dilip Tirkey, realising that the English were afraid to come up took command of the play from the back coming up to the midfield, even entering the English half. After one such foray, India had a free hit, some five metres outside the English striking circle. Seeing Sandeep Singh free of a marker, Dilip screamed for him and sent a hit that Sandeep trapped, swiveled around to flick it into the net. India led 3-0.
The fourth was again off a Dilip hit. The former captain was at his aggressive best, egging on the players to control the game and fall back together.
Dilip's free hit in the 22nd minute was trapped and shot by Shivender Singh. But the rebound off the goalkeeper was picked up by Roshan Minz who made it 4-0.
At the pace, the Indians were playing; it seemed that a massacre was on the cards. Prabhjot and Tushar came close to scoring but each time their shots were just short of the target.
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England, meanwhile, were trying to gain possession. A stray attack in the 34th minute, England's second in the first half, saw Baljit Singh coming off his line but allowing the ball to slip between his pads. It was a lack of focus on the part of the Indian goalkeeper. India, probably, went off the pitch, thinking if they had let England open the door a wee bit.
In the second half, India relaxed and that was enough for England to charge in. In today's game, a 4-0 lead is never enough. Especially, against an English side that can counter-attack with speed and precision.
India should have held the ball and either built up pace or slow the game with possession. They did neither. They lost the balls in the midfield where Sardara and Bimal, surprisingly, seemed tentative.
The defence was holding off the attacks but England sensed that the Indians were not willing to come up and counter-attack. Off an attack in the 55th minute, England earned a penalty corner which Baljit took on the pads. Tindall picked up the rebound and shot it in the corner.
At 2-4, things were becoming hot in the Indian half.
With seven minutes left in the match, England had another penalty corner. Instead of going for a direct flick, they played the ball, selling India a dummy and when they had the defence pulled away to one side, crossed the ball where Simon Mantell had an empty goal to tap the ball in.
The Indian fans, on the edge now, shouted for the Indian team to hold and move up.
India held off the English in the remaining minutes to add a second international bronze medal to their kitty. Earlier, they had won the Azlan Shah bronze in Malaysia.
Indian coach Joaquim Carvalho was disappointed that India couldn't finish higher than third. "We came with the ambition of winning the Champions Challenger and that is the big disappointment," he said.
Speaking on the England match, he said, "I think we gave the ball too easily away in the second half. We let them dominate. We were defending but then we shouldn't have given the ball away in the midfield."
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