Bhubaneswar: In a dramatic pool match in Johor, Malaysia, the Indian junior men’s hockey team endured its first defeat in the ongoing Sultan of Johor Cup, losing 2-4 to Australia on Wednesday.
Australia’s campaign was powered by Oscar Sproule (39′, 42′), Andrew Patrick (40′) and Dylan Downey (51′), while India’s goals came from Rohit (22′) and Arshdeep Singh (60′).
Going into the match, India had been strong: they held 7 points in the pool standings from four matches (two wins, one draw, one loss), placing them second behind Australia, who led with 10 points.
Match Summary & Turning Points
India began with promising control. After some early pressure, goalkeeper Prince Deep Singh made a crucial save, and for the first 15 minutes, India pressed forward without major errors.
In the 17th minute, India got a penalty corner, but Anmol Ekka’s flick missed the mark.
In the 22nd minute, India won another penalty corner that Rohit converted with a low strike.
Amir Ali nearly doubled India’s lead in the 25th minute with a long-range effort after a solo run from the left, but Australia’s keeper denied him.
The third quarter was the turning point. Australia struck three goals back-to-back: Sproule equalised (39′), Patrick converted via a deflection (40′), and Sproule completed his brace with a powerful backhand (42′).
Early in the fourth quarter, India won a penalty corner in the 49th, but Rohit’s flick went wide.
Two minutes later, Australia earned another penalty corner, and Downey dispatched it cleanly to extend the lead.
In the final minute, Arshdeep Singh deflected a shot into goal to reduce the deficit, but time ran out.
What’s Next
India will face Malaysia next, on October 17, as they seek to bounce back in the tournament.
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