The Kookaburras are one win away from an ideal begin to 2024 and claiming high spot on the FIH Professional League standings, after an ideal penalty shootout noticed them prevail over India this night.
Watch the Kookaburras tackle the world primary Netherlands facet tonight, stay and free on 7plus
After spoiling India’s occasion at house final week with a gritty come-from-behind 6-4 victory in Bhubaneswar, Australia knew the hosts had been working out with a vengeance.
And on a stormy Saturday evening, 20,000 passionate followers rocked Rourkela stadium cheering them on, determined to see their favorite staff beat an unstoppable Aussie outfit.
The Kookaburras weren’t going to let the event rock them, in management early they created area and defensively shut down India however it could be the nation’s hero within the second quarter who would strike first.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh with an attractive strike discovered the again of the online previous Kookaburras goalkeeper Johan Durst and the gang erupted in a deafening cheer.
India was all of the sudden piling the strain on Australia however earlier than too lengthy a pricey error handed Australia’s high objective scorer Blake Govers a penalty shot and India’s goalie didn’t stand an opportunity.
Govers’ highly effective strike sailed to the suitable of the keeper and straight into the again of the online.
With the sport stage as soon as once more three minutes later, this was a match that was delivering on all of the hype.
Regardless of fixed turnovers, possession and alternatives on objective, the Kookaburras weren’t making them depend and India earned their fourth penalty nook.
That was sufficient for India to retake the lead heading into halftime and late into the second half Australia discovered themselves in a determined bid to attain one other to stage the rating and take the match to a shootout.
With the clock ticking down it could be Lane Cove’s Tom Craig who would rating the equalizer and silence hundreds of followers who had been gripping their seats hoping for India to win.
“It was a tricky match on the market, you couldn’t actually converse,’ match skipper Jeremy Hayward mentioned post-match.
“I used to be making an attempt to yell to the bloke beside me and he nonetheless couldn’t hear me. Indians love their hockey, it was a loopy sport, a loopy expertise and I liked each minute of it.”
Within the penalty shootout it was all Australia, displaying why they’re unstoppable in competitors proper now as all three gamers who stood up secured their objective.
However hailed for conserving his composure in essentially the most essential second was Melbournian goalkeeper Johan Durst as he defended and saved each single try by India.
Only one match stays, a nail biter towards the desk topping Netherlands tomorrow evening.
“It’s going to be an enormous sport, a wonderful sport, the place ever you might be in Australia tune in and watch, it’s going to be an incredible one towards the world primary!”
Can Australia stay unbeaten of their first FIH Professional League Tour in Olympic yr in 2024?
Tomorrow evening’s match towards the Netherlands shall be streamed LIVE and FREE on 7Plus at 11.00pm AEDT / 8.00pm AWST.
Match Particulars
India: 2 (0) (Harmanpreet Singh 20’ & Amit Rohidas 29’)
Kookaburras: 2 (3) (Blake Govers 23’ & Tom Craig 53’)
Shootout – India 0 , Australia 3 (Tim Model, Flynn Ogilvie & Tom Wickham)
In Rourkela, India
Kookaburras: 1. Lachlan Sharp, 2. Tom Craig, 3. Corey Weyer, 4. Jake Harvie, 8. Johan Durst (gk), 10. Joshua Beltz, 12. Jake Whetton, 17. Aran Zalewski, 23. Daniel Beale, 29. Tim Model, 32. Jeremy Hayward (c), 5. Tom Wickham, 6. Matt Dawson, 7. Nathan Ephraums, 11. Eddie Ockenden, 13. Blake Govers, 22. Flynn Ogilvie, 30. Andrew Constitution (gk)