Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: It was a good day for Argentina at the FIH Hockey Pro League in Antwerp, Belgium on Thursday with both their women’s and men’s sides getting the better of Australia. The women’s side romped to a 5-0 victory for a sixth straight win, while there was just one goal between the sides in the men’s encounter. Meanwhile, Belgium’s women’s side drew 1-1 with China before snatching the extra point in a shootout and the men’s team came from behind twice to get the better of Spain.(Women’s) Argentina beat Australia (5-0): Argentina delivered a devastating second-half performance in a 5-0 win over Australia. Las Leonas dominated the stats throughout, defending well when necessary, escalating the pressure as the game progressed, and creating goal-scoring opportunities at will in the second half. It was a patient start though, Stefania Antoniazzi scoring the only goal of the first half with a 21st-minute field goal.The Argentinians ramped up the pressure in the third quarter and Lara Casus bagged her first international goal from a penalty corner variation in the 41st minute. They then ran rampant through the final quarter, and only Jocelyn Bartram’s heroics in the Hockeyroos’ goal prevented a far bigger scoreline. Maria Granatto scored a diving penalty corner deflection in the 46th minute, Eugenia Trinchinetti hammered in a field goal four minutes later, and Agustina Gorzelany added a penalty stroke for Argentina’s fifth goal as her side comfortably extended their winning streak to six games.(Women’s) Belgium 1 – 1 China (SO: 4 – 3): Hosts Belgium defended desperately to claim a share of the points in a 1-1 draw against a rampant China and then went on to win the resulting shootout 4-3 for a bonus point. Belgium’s Elodi Picard was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers as China enjoyed huge dominance in territory, possession, penalty corners, and circle penetrations throughout the 60 minutes. China just couldn’t finish, and it was Louise Versavel who put Belgium ahead in the 20th minute from a goalmouth scramble after a Chinese error.The Belgians found themselves in a pressure cooker for the entire second half as China raised their intensity. But the Chinese struggled to find the back of the net until the 50th minute when Xiaoxue Zhang equalised with a field goal. The momentum was very much with China but they still couldn’t find a winner, and they were left to rue missed opportunities as they gave up the lead twice in the shootout.(Men’s) Argentina beat Australia (2-1): Argentina came from behind to clinch a tight 2-1 win against Australia. The Aussies were better in the first half and took the lead through Tim Brand’s 7th-minute tap-in at the left post. Both teams missed opportunities as the half progressed and Australia led 1-0 at the break.Argentina raised their intensity and drew level with a Nicolas Della Torre drag flick just seconds into the third quarter. Lucas Toscani then put Argentina ahead with a 40th-minute field goal, and the quarter ended at a frenetic pace after a flurry of green cards opened some space. The Argentinians defended well through the final period and the Kookaburras sacrificed their goalkeeper to chase a result with 4 minutes remaining, but Tomas Santiago rounded off his magnificent personal performance to deny them at the death.(Men’s) Belgium beat Spain (3-2): Hosts Belgium came from behind twice in a nail-biting 3-2 win over Spain. The vastly more experienced Belgians dominated the opening half without reward, although Spain looked threatening on the break and created a couple of chances.The match came alive in the second half when Pepe Cunill put Spain ahead with a 34th-minute drag flick. John-John Dohmen levelled matters for the Red Lions in the 41st minute, but Antonio Sanz restored Spain’s lead immediately. Three minutes later Belgium equalised again through a sensational Loïck Luypaert drag, and Alexander Hendrickx then gave the Belgians the lead with another, 5 minutes from time. Luis Calzado saved a penalty stroke for Spain with two minutes remaining to give his team one last roll of the dice, but Belgium managed to hold them out, much to the relief of the home supporters.

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): The Men’s Indoor Asia Cup 2024 came to an end over the past week with Iran claiming the title following a stunning 7-1 victory over Malaysia in the final, as both teams secured their spot at the upcoming FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup 2025, which will be played in Poreč, Croatia from 3-9 February 2025. 8 teams competed in the Men’s Indoor Asia Cup 2024, in Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan from 21-25 May 2024. Iran, Thailand, Singapore and Tajikistan were placed in Pool A, while Malaysia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Oman were placed in Pool B. Iran, 8-time winners of the competition, were dominant in the Pool A, winning all their matches, with Thailand finishing in second place. In Pool B, it was Malaysia in the top place, followed by hosts Kazakhstan in second. The format of the Indoor Asia Cup 2024, saw the top two teams from each pool placed into one pool, for a second round-robin stage. Iran once again topped the pool with 2 wins and a draw. Malaysia finished second with one win and two draws. As the top-2 finishers in the second round-robin phase, Iran and Malaysia qualified for the final, and with two spots available from the competition for the upcoming FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025, both Iran and Malaysia had qualified for the premier indoor hockey event. The final was a stark contrast to the pool stage match between Iran and Malaysia, which had ended in a 3-3 tie. Iran showed their championship mettle to run away with the contest, scoring four unanswered goals in the opening quarter, effectively putting the result beyond doubt. The final score ended up as 7-1 in the favour of Iran, who claimed their 9th consecutive Indoor Asia Cup title and will once again be among the top teams in the World Cup, where they became the first Asian team to snag a podium place with a bronze medal in the 2018 edition, and followed it up by another bronze medal performance in the most recent edition in Pretoria 2023. 

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): The Women’s Indoor Asia Cup 2024 came to an end with Thailand claiming the title following a stunning 6-2 victory over Kazakhstan, and securing their spot at the upcoming FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup 2025, which will be played in Poreč, Croatia from 3-9 February 2025.As many as 9 teams competed in the Women’s Indoor Asia Cup 2024, in Chonburi, Thailand from 13-16 May 2024. Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Iran, Oman and Vietnam were placed in Pool A, while Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and Singapore were placed in Pool B.Kazakhstan, 6 time winners of the competition were dominant in the Pool A, winning all their matches, with Malaysia finishing in second place and also qualifying for the semi-finals. In Pool B, winners of the previous edition of the competition, Thailand topped the table with a run of 3 straight victories, with Indonesia finishing second in the pool and qualifying for the semi-finals. In the first semi-final, Kazakhstan faced a stiff challenge from Indonesia, with the game tied at 3-goals apiece at the end of regulation time. But the Kazakhstan’s championship pedigree came in handy as they edged past their opponents in the shoot-outs to move on to the final. They were joined in the final by defending champions Thailand, who overcame a tough test from Malaysia, winning the second semi-final by a 2-1 margin. With just one spot available at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup 2025, the final was a battle not just for the title and the gold medal, but also a winner-takes-all contest for a spot at the World Cup next year. While most fans anticipated a closely fought affair between the two top teams in the competition, the final unfolded very differently. Thailand were dominant in attack and watertight in defence, securing a huge 6-2 win to claim their second consecutive title at the Women’s Indoor Asia Cup and qualifying for their first ever FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup! Coach of the title winning Thailand team, Esfandyar Safaei, spoke with us after the tournament and said, “Really happy with this victory and upon qualifying for our first ever FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup. This is a busy year with the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in November, which we will use to prepare for the Indoor World Cup in Croatia in February 2025 and hopefully get the best result any Asian team has achieved in the competition.”

Sports DeskISLAMABAD: Slovenia took high-flying Lithuania back to earth to move to the top of the standings at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship Division I Group B in Tallinn, Estonia. France blanked Italy and Estonia edged Korea.Going into the final day of action, any kind of Slovenian victory against France in the first game on Saturday guarantees a top finish and promotion. Third-placed Estonia plays Lithuania in second, while Italy will battle it out with Korea in the relegation decider.Djian Robinson opened and closed the scoring for France and netminder Kirill Dorofeev enjoyed a memorable World Championship debut stopping all 26 shots. Skating at the top level in 2018, France then became a mainstay in Division 1A before suffering relegation last year. Following a disappointing start with two defeats in three games in Tallinn, they went ahead versus Italy after just 23 seconds.Mathis Dufour flew down the left boards to set up Robinson scoring after two attempts in the slot past Italy´s Filippo Matonti in his first start of the tournament. France tallied a second with just over five minutes left of the period when Matteo Bertrand converted his first of the tournament on a wraparound. The most recent meeting between this pair goes back to 2014 when France prevailed 5-3. A decade later in Tallinn, France stamped its authority in the middle frame and raced into a three-goal lead. Nathan Riu first won a draw at the right face off circle to Paulin Hostein who whipped a wrister into the top corner on Matonti´s catcher side at 26:14. Winning the shots 17-6 in the middle frame, France´s Tom Vidal was sitting out a tripping minor when Nathan Riu scored France´s fourth goal being one man short. France piled on the misery for Italy adding another couple of goals in the third frame. On a rush 15-year-old Alexandre Monarque opted to go for glory himself to bury his shot low past Matonti. Robinson closed the scoring with his second of the afternoon when tipping home a Dufour pass from the slot for 6-0.Slovenia beat Lithuania (5-2): Newcomers Lithuania stepped out on the ice knowing that a regulation win on day four would mean back-to-back gold medals. But the Slovenians had other plans. In a spirited first period, Slovenia drew first blood when Erazem Por scored for Slovenia on a feed by Gaber Zupan Skrlj just ahead of the three-minute mark. Lithuania, backed by a vocal contingent of fans throughout the tournament had even more reasons to cheer when Titas Krakauskas potted his first of the tournament to level the score at 6:43. Silver medalists last year, Slovenia got back in front courtesy of the tournament´s top scorer, 16-year-old debutant Aljaz Hrobat Plemelj finishing an audacious move for 2-1 at 11:28.The most recent match-up between these two at the U18 Worlds dates back to April 2015 when Slovenia pulverized Lithuania 10-1 on home ice in Maribor. Nine years on, Slovenia imposed their authority in the middle frame with Azbe Glavic scoring 3-1. In their previous game, Lithuania valiantly rallied back from a two-goal deficit to victory against Korea. Versus Slovenia, there was no way back for the Balts as Nik Christian Petrovic ended a flying move by converting 4-1 at 29:20. Allowing only four goals in three games ahead of his one, the Lithuanians shipped their fifth against Slovenia when Gal Sodja Zalokar slotted home 5-1. Lithuania tallied a consolation empty netter 38 seconds before the end from Simas Ignatavicius.Lithuania now pins their hopes for gold on a French win versus Slovenia and then winning their final game against Estonia.Estonia beat Korea (4-2): Korea opened the scoring after 8:39 when a Junsu Kwak pass from the left face off circle carved the Estonian defence wide open with Ryul Kwon scoring at the far post. But as the period progressed Estonia soon was rewarded two-fold. At 13:42 and on the powerplay Artjom Abeljanov snapped a wrister from the top of the left face off circle past netminder Taeyi Koh who got his second start for Korea.Estonia then went ahead with 3:36 left of the first period. Pinning Korea in their zone, Timofejev had first forced two saves from Koh before Burkov got the 2-1 goal over the line. Two years have passed since Tondiraba Ice Hall last staged the U18 Worlds. Back then Korea finished first with Estonia second as both teams celebrated promotion to Division IB.This time around, Estonia finished on top. Two minutes into the second period and with Estonia on the powerplay, Burkov did all the hard work before serving Timofejev at the back post for 3-1. Just over four minutes later and once again working on a one-man advantage, Timofejev boomed home his second of the night to stretch the lead to 4-1.With Estonia seemingly taking the foot off the gas, Mookyung Kang scored Korea´s second goal and his fourth goal of the tournament at 48:31. Junseo Lee cut Estonia´s lead to one on the powerplay with 4:12 left of the third period.

Lausanne, Switzerland (PR): The Indoor Pan American Cup 2024 came to an end on 22 March with Argentina men and USA women winning the gold medals and securing their spot at the FIH Hockey Indoor World Cups 2025. With a second available slot in the men’s competition, Trinidad & Tobago, winners of the silver medal at the competition also joined Los Leones in qualifying for the World Cup. In the men’s competition, Argentina, USA, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana and Canada competed in the league stage. Argentina topped the group, winning all four matches, followed by USA in second with three wins and a loss. Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana also qualified for the semi-final finishing third and fourth respectively. Argentina dominated Guyana in the first semi-final, winning 10-0, with Gaston Rodriguez and Elen Eleicegui scoring hat-tricks, sealing a spot in the final as well as gaining them entry into the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup 2025. USA and Trinidad & Tobago played in a thrilling 11-goal thriller in the second semi-final with the Caribbean nation edging the tie and qualifying for their third ever FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup. In the women’s competition, United States, Argentina, Canada and Uruguay competed in the league stage. United States went unbeaten in the league stage, winning all three of their matches, with Argentina finishing second, Canada in third and Uruguay in fourth. United States won the first semi-final 5-0 against Uruguay securing a spot in the finals, while Argentina beat home team Canada 6-2 in the second semi-final. The finals saw USA take on Argentina in a repeat of the opening match of the tournament, where USA dominated Argentina with a 7-1 win. With a place in the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup 2025 up for grabs for the winner of the finals, a much closer encounter unfolded. USA took an early 2-goal lead, but throughout the game the lead changed hands multiple times and at the end of regulation time, both sides were tied at 5 goals each, resulting in a shoot-out. USA were perfect in the shoot-out winning 3-2, grabbing the gold medal and securing the only available slot from Pan America, at the FIH Indoor Hockey Women’s World Cup 2025.

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) briefed the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) regarding the preparations for the upcoming South Asian Games, which will be held in Pakistan this year 2024.According to an official of PHF, Haider Hussain, the Secretary-General PHF provided a comprehensive briefing during a meeting chaired by President POA, Mohammad Abid Qadri Gillani. The gathering, held under the auspices of the Pakistan Olympic Association for preparations of the South Asian Games, focused on the hosting responsibilities for the hockey event. The prestigious event is set to feature seven teams, both men's and women's, with the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore proposed as the venue.The assembly witnessed the presence of key figures, including Secretary-General POA, and officials from various national sports federations. Among them were Khalid Bashir (Secretary-General, Pakistan Basketball Federation), Haji Mohammad Shafiq (President, Pakistan Handball Federation), Faizi Khawaja (Chairman, Pakistan Rugby Federation), Nasir Ahmed (Director, Pakistan Volleyball Federation), and Mohammad Jahangir (Chairman, Pakistan Karate Federation).In their collaborative efforts, the stakeholders expressed their commitment to making the event a triumph, discussing various recommendations and strategies to ensure the seamless organization of the international competition. Secretary-General PHF Haider Hussain commended the POA's dedication to fostering the development of players and highlighted the concerted efforts being made to secure Pakistan as the host for international events.

Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: An eight-team 4th All Pakistan Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Hockey Cup will be held from May 16 to 24, 2024 at the National Hockey Stadium, Lahore.According to an official of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), Station Commander Lahore Pakistan Navy Commodore Sajid Hussain met with officials of the Pakistan Hockey Federation and Sports Board Punjab (SBP). Also, attended by Executive Secretary PHF Ali Abbas, Director Administration and Coordination and world-renowned penalty corner specialist Olympian Khalid Bashir, Assistant Director Mubasher Ali, Deputy Station Commander Jawad, Director Sports Pakistan Navy Mohammad Kamran, and Sports Officer Navy Mohammad Rizwan.Mari Petroleum, Pakistan WAPDA, Customs, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force, Police, and Sindh will fight for title during the d days prestigious national hockey showpiece. Executive Secretary PHF Ali Abbas assured full technical support and assistance from the Pakistan Hockey Federation.Station Commander Lahore Pakistan Navy Commodore Sajid Hussain Satara Imtiaz (Military) issued instructions to the subordinate staff regarding the arrangements for the event. On this occasion, he said that the Pakistan Navy would organize this tournament for the promotion and development of the national sport of hockey in a grand manner.

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): On the field and off the field. As players, coaches, umpires and administrators. On this International Women’s Day 2024, a year where the International Hockey Federation (FIH) celebrates its centennial, we focus on eight women who have been leading the way over the past few decades, and creating a blueprint for success that will benefit the generations to come, as they look to these role models and follow in their footsteps.In the field of hockey administration and the move towards attaining complete gender equity, Marijke Fleuren is a towering figure in international hockey. As a former member of the FIH Executive Board, member of the IOC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commission and Honorary Life President of EuroHockey, Marijke has had a storied career in hockey administration. We spoke to Marijke as she discussed her Journey of Passion, Equality, and Family.In the field of umpiring and umpire management, Marelize de Klerk brings with her an unparalleled level of experience, with nearly three decades spent officiating hockey at the highest level. We spoke to Marelize as she shared her unique path towards first playing hockey and then umpiring, which began with a chance incident, all the way back in 1994!When it comes to achieving phenomenal success as a player and a coach in hockey, a scarce few can rival the storied career of Alyson Annan. A winner of 2 Olympic Gold medals and 2 FIH Hockey World Cup titles as a player, to go with a 2 Olympic medals (1 gold, 1 silver) and a World Cup title as a head coach, Alyson shared with us her journey in hockey and the advice she would give to those aiming to follow in her footsteps.As an administrator in Hockey, Els van Breda Vriesman’s achievements are unparalleled. Els was the first - and so far only - female president of the International Hockey Federation (2001-2008) and brought with her decades of experience as a sports administrator and a former member of the International Olympic Committee. Els shared with us her journey starting as a junior national hockey player for the Netherlands to becoming the President of FIH.Indian goalkeeper and captain Savita is already a modern day great and the reigning three-time FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Award winner. Her stardom is a shining beacon for girls and women in her native India, showing them the path towards achieving their sporting dreams. We spoke to Savita as she spoke of the important role a family plays in helping an athlete achieve their complete potential.Subarna Shreshtha was recently elected Secretary General of Nepal Hockey Association, and long-term administrator with the Asian Hockey Federation. As a fan of hockey since her childhood, Subarna grew up in Nepal with limited opportunity to play the sport. She spoke to us about the work she is doing to make sure those opportunities are available for the next generation to play the game at the highest level.Sarah Wilson had a promising career in hockey derailed by a back injury as she was representing Scotland internationally in the under-21 category. But with a strong will to remain associated with hockey, and able guidance Sarah turned to umpiring and has since gone on to have a fabulous career with the whistle, and will soon umpire at her third Olympic Games in Paris 2024! Sarah spoke with us to share her journey and the team she has found within the hockey umpiring community, that she can’t imagine living without.Luciana Aymar is largely considered one of the best players to ever pick up a hockey stick. With 4 medals at the Olympic Games and 4 World Cup medals, Luciana had a long and storied career, which also included winning a record 8 FIH Player of the Year awards. We spoke to Luciana as she shared the story behind her stardom and how she believes the sporting community can further embrace gender equality.FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “With global participation in hockey being 51% female and 49% male, hockey can pride itself of being a gender-equal sport on the field of play. However, we still have efforts to make. And even more so off the field of play.The FIH Statutes do stipulate that half of the Ordinary Members of the Executive Board MUST be women. That is good, but numbers are not what impacts most. For a sustainable outcome, we need, together with the National Associations, to develop capacity-building for women and empower women. And it’s my personal wish that leadership programmes shall be introduced at youth level as well.Furthermore, men MUST stand for women! This is critical. Gender equality cannot be an objective initiated or led by women only! Gender equality will only be reached if men do commit to and act in favour of it! I therefore appeal to all my male colleagues – within hockey but also sport and society at large - to become active advocates of inclusion and determined leaders in mindset changing.Throughout all our events and activities, and with the support of our Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee chaired by Marijke Fleuren, we will ensure that gender equality not only prevails but keeps on improving in everything we do.”

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: The Chairman, Khawaja Junaid Hockey (KJH) Academy, Olympian Kawaja Junaid thanked to OHC Bully Club, Dutch Embassy in Islamabad, Punjab Police, Higher Education Commission (HEC), and other stakeholders, who were involved and made three-match bilateral Friendship Hockey Series possible.In a statement, Khawaja Junaid said: “Over the past few weeks, the Dutch hockey club OHC Bully got an opportunity to visit Lahore and Islamabad, two beautiful cities in Pakistan. This visit was not only an exciting experience for the club members, but it also served as a way to strengthen cultural ties between the Netherlands and Pakistan. The members of OHC Bully were warmly welcomed by the locals, who were eager to showcase their hospitality and love for the game of hockey.”“During their visit to Lahore, the OHC Bully members were able to experience the rich history and culture of the city. They visited Sialkot, famous for sports manufacturers, and especially the flag ceremony at Wahga Border. Additionally, the club got the opportunity to play three friendly matches with the Prime Minister Youth Program HEC talent team, which they won and allowed them to learn new techniques and strategies from their Pakistani counterparts. In Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, OHC Bully was the chance to explore the modern and vibrant side of the country.One of the highlights of the visit was the cultural exchange between the Dutch and Pakistani hockey players. The OHC Bully members were able to share their love through songs at a dinner hosted by HEC chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad. This exchange not only strengthened the bond between the two countries but also created lasting friendships among the players.The visit of OHC Bully to Lahore and Islamabad was a memorable experience for both the club members and the locals. It showcased the power of sports in bringing people together and bridging cultural divides. The club members returned to the Netherlands with a newfound appreciation for Pakistani culture and a deeper understanding of the country.Overall, the visit of OHC Bully to Lahore and Islamabad was a successful and enriching experience. It served as a reminder of the importance of cultural exchange and sports diplomacy in fostering understanding and friendship between nations. The club members were grateful for the warm welcome they received in Pakistan and look forward to future opportunities to continue building strong connections with the people of Lahore and Islamabad, “he concluded.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: The Netherlands men brought an end to Australia’s unbeaten run in the FIH Hockey Pro League with a methodical performance on the final day of action in Rourkela, India on Sunday.The 5-3 victory saw the Dutch avenging their loss to the same opposition nine days earlier and also consolidating their top spot in the standings with 26 points from their 12 matches so far. Australia are second with 20 points from their eight matches.(Men’s) Netherlands beat Australia (5-3): The Netherlands looked composed in their 5-3 win over Australia in what was a clash between the top two sides in the men’s standings. The Australians had the upper hand in the opening minutes and Jacob Anderson opened the scoring for them in the sixth minute, his lightning-fast reactions ensuring he got stick on a deflected pass to tap in at the left post. They lost some momentum through player suspensions and the Dutch got a goal back in the 13th minute, Duco Telgenkamp bunting in from close range after a good team move along the baseline. Telgenkamp added a second from an almost identical position in the 20th, getting a stick in front of his defender to deflect in the acute cross from the left. Neither team could find another goal in the half, although Andrew Charter in the Aussie goal pulled off a good penalty corner double save and then moved quickly to reduce the angle from the third shot to prevent a goal.The Dutch turned the screws in the third quarter, attacking for long periods and earning seven penalty corners. That allowed Jip Janssen to extend his lead at the top of the goalscoring table with a powerful drag flick in the 35th minute, and Tjep Hoedemakers deflected in from a penalty corner variation to the right post in the 42nd. The Kookaburras threatened a comeback with Tim Brand deflecting in from their first possession of the final quarter, but Terrance Pieters nipped it in the bud with a 48th-minute field goal. Jeremy Hayward scored a big drag flick for Australia seven minutes later, but the Netherlands emerged as comfortable winners against the previously unbeaten Kookaburras.(Men’s) India beat Ireland (4-0): Hosts India put in a clinical performance to beat Ireland 4-0 in the final match of the FIH Hockey Pro League mini-tournament in Rourkela. Ireland played positive attacking hockey throughout, but were inaccurate in front of goal and it was India who had the killer touch when it mattered. Nilakanta Sharma opened the scoring in the 14th minute, a penalty corner variation deflecting off the first wave and landing in his arc for a first-time smash. Akashdeep Singh made it two with a deflection from a flat pass across the goal a minute later and India led 2-0 at half-time, although Sreejesh had arguably been the busier goalkeeper.Sreejesh was called into action again at the start of the second half as Ireland continued to attack without reward. Gurjant Singh then made a great diving deflection to extend India’s lead in the 38th minute and India started taking more control of the match. Goalkeepers Jamie Carr for Ireland and Sreejesh for India had to make important saves throughout the final quarter, and it was Jugraj Singh who closed the book on the mini-tournament with a well-placed drag flick in the final seconds, much to the delight of the home fans.