Tokyo: Indian men’s hockey team created history as they beat Germany 5-4 in the bronze-medal match for a first podium finish in 41 years.
Simranjeet Singh was the star of the game for India with a brace in the 17th and 34th minute. While, Hardik Singh (27th minute), Harmanpreet Singh (29th minute) and Rupinder Pal Singh (31st minutes) scored the other three goals for India.
Meanwhile, Germany started the game on a high with an early goal in the second minute of the game as India kept trailing the ball in quarter 1. However, Graham Reid’s men bounced back in dominating fashing in the second half by scoring three goals in the second quarter to finish 3-3 at the Half Time.
Determined to clinch a medal, the Indians made one of the most memorable comebacks in the history of the game, fighting back from a two-goal deficit to turn the match in their favour.
The third quarter completely belonged to the Indian team with two goals in their kitty which laid the foundation of the massive. The German tried to stage a comeback in the final quarter with a goal in the 48th minute by Lukas Windfeder but they failed to score the fifth one.
The Indian defence was solid in the dying minutes of the game as goalkeeper Srijesh saved a penalty corner in the final minute of the high-intense clash.
It is India’s third hockey bronze medal in the history of the Olympics. The other two came in 1968 Mexico City and the 1972 Munich Games.
