Olympics: With Heroics From Goalkeeper, India Bag Semi Final Hockey Slot

PARIS, (ANI/IANS) – The Indian men’s hockey team beat Great Britain with shootout to secure a semifinal berth in the Paris Olympics on August 4.

This is the first time since 1972 in Munich that India have reached the semifinals in men’s hockey in two successive Olympic Games. Previously, India had won successive bronze medals at the 1968 and 1972 Olympics after reaching the semis. India have won the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics and are in the fray to at least replicate or better that performance in Paris.

For India, captain Harmanpreet Singh netted a goal while Lee Morton (27’) was on As the match ended with score tied at 1-1 in the regular time, the game moved to the shootout, where India converted all their chances and denied their opponents twice to win the quarter-final match 1-1 (4-2) and make it to the semi-finals.

India’s goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who is playing his final tournament in national colors, stood tall and denied the opponents from scoring their second goal on repeated attempts and helped the side in dragging the game onto the shootout.

Commentators raved about him and the players too, raced to knock him down exuberantly after his work at the goalpost.