Goalkeepers from both teams stood tall as India and England played a goalless draw in their Group D tie at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2022 on January 15.
At the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela, India failed to recreate the performance against Spain that saw them record a 2-0 win.
While both teams created a lot of opportunities, they failed to find each other’s net as goalkeepers from both sides stood rock solid.
Player of the Match Oliver Payne manned the English goal with aplomb while thwarting the Indian attack. Meanwhile, the alternating duo of PR Sreejesh and Krishan Pathak came out with a performance to remember despite plenty of action at the goalmouth.
England maintained their lead in the group due to their superior goal difference, while Spain’s impressive win over Wales means India will not be sitting pretty with four points for long.
As India gear up to face Wales, they will, in all probability, miss the services of Hardik Singh – who helped them against England.
Earlier, Spain bounced back from their opening defeat against India as they beat Wales 5-1 in another group D tie.
Marc Reyne and skipper Marc Miralles scored a brace each, while Iglesias Alvaro added one more for the winners. Wales pulled one back through Carson James.
Spain, understandably, dominated the game, with Miralles’ blistering run from the left thwarted by Wales’ keeper Toby Reynolds-Cotterill.
While the first quarter remained goalless, Spain did not have to wait till eternity as Reyne made the most of an overhead pass from Marc Recasens to make it 1-0 in the 16th minute. Six minutes later, Iglesias gave a glimpse of his dribbling skills to make it 2-0.
Miralles was unlucky once again when he missed his penalty shot before halftime.
However, he was third-time lucky as his drag flick got the better of Reynolds-Cotterill immediately after the start of the third quarter.
Spanish dominance was there to see and they did not waste time as Reyne completed his double with the 38th-minute strike.
Miralles also went on to complete his double in the 56th minute when he evaded two Wales defenders before slotting one into the top of the goal.
Despite their second successive heavy loss, Wales had something to cheer about as James Carson created history by scoring the team’s first-ever goal in the tournament in the 52nd minute.