India displayed an impressive style of attacking hockey to overcome a 1-3 deficit and defeat New Zealand 7-4 in a thrilling match in the FIH Men’s Pro League. After struggling in the first 15 minutes, during which they conceded three goals, the home side turned the tide by scoring two goals in each of the next three quarters. New Zealand, initially dominant, succumbed to India’s relentless attacks, managing to score only one goal in the subsequent three 15-minute periods.
In a commanding performance, India showcased fine attacking hockey with 29 circle penetrations compared to New Zealand’s 13. They also maintained 56% ball possession and had 12 shots at the opposition goal, while New Zealand had six.
India’s head coach, Graham Reid, had previously highlighted defensive lapses in earlier matches. Despite committing errors and conceding three goals in the first 15 minutes, India managed to pull one back during that period.
New Zealand took an early lead with a field goal from Simon Child in the first minute. India equalized through a penalty corner, with Harmanpreet converting the drag flick. However, New Zealand extended their lead to 3-1 by the end of the first session.
India made a strong comeback in the second session, scoring two quick goals to level the scores at 3-3. In the third quarter, India took the lead for the first time with goals from Rajkumar Pal and Selvam Karthi, making it 5-3. India continued their dominance in the final quarter, scoring two more goals through Sukhjeet and Jugraj to secure a comprehensive victory.
The match against Spain on Sunday will be India’s next challenge in the second leg. In their previous encounter on October 30, India lost 2-3 to the European side.