India vs. Great Britain underway at the Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium – half-match analysis
India is currently playing against Great Britain in the fifth hockey match of the 20th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, underway on the second day at the Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, Malaysia on May 6.
With the opening of the match, the British side started off with the field domination. The team kept the ball in their possession and made passes to the mid-fielders, avoiding the Indian strikers to advance for an attack.
The first five minutes were played sharing passes and none of the teams attempted an attack. Within the next three minutes, India took up the ball and rushed towards the British defensive circle. India received its first penalty corner in the eighth minute
for which the senior player Rupinder Pal Singh was on the strike. On the 10th minute mark, Singh easily converted the penalty corner with a shot home, opening the scores at 1-0.
In a matter of four minutes, the British team answered back with their first penalty corner in the 12th minute. However, they failed to convert it into a score.
With fifteen minutes left for half-time, India stood firm with their one-score lead over the British. On the 22nd minute mark, India’s Gurbaj Singh earns a second penalty corner for India but fails to convert it into a score.
As a result, Great Britain strikes back again with their second penalty corner in the 24th minute. However, the British fail to avail the equaliser opportunity when James Tindall attempts a shot that passes above the bar, keeping the score at
1-0.
The British men held themselves determined in attaining an equaliser and finally received another penalty corner in the 30th minute of the match.
However, this potential chance also did not pay-off well and the British remained trailing at 0-1 with just five minutes left.
The first half ended up with India leading by 1-0 over Great Britain. Despite scoring opportunities, British men failed to avail the penalty corners.
Meanwhile, the second half has continued between the two nations at the Malaysian ground.
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