Bhubaneswar: India rode on a brace by Lalit Upadhay to cruise into the quarterfinals of the Men’s Hockey World Cup directly after registering a convincing 5-1 victory over a lower-ranked Canada in their last Pool C encounter at the Kalinga Stadium here Saturday. Odisha star Amit Rohidas was also on target for his maiden World Cup goal.
Harmanpreet Singh (12th minute), Chinglensana Singh Kangujam (47th), Lalit (48th, 58th) and Rohidas (50th) scored for India while Floris van Son (38th) got one back for Canada.
Canada started well and pushed the ball into India’s circle in the second minute, but the Indians moped up. With the crowd roaring and supporting the hosts the Indians advanced.
Canada tried a high press but Harmanpreet cleared in the fourth minute over a long overhead. Chinglensana sent in a cross from the right of the circle, but no damage was done.
Then Smythe came to the rescue as Mandeep Singh tried to latch onto an overhead. Harmanpreet got the ball into the Canadian circle and India got a penalty corner in the ninth minute. But the flick was wasted, and Canada made a quick counter attack.
India also tried one as well immediately after it and earned another penalty corner in the 12th minute again with Amit and Harmanpreet lining up. Harmanpreet fired it low to the right into the goal post to open their account. The hosts continued with the surge and got their third penalty corner thanks to Chinglensana in the next minute but messed it up. India were 1-0 ahead and were completely the dominant side in the first quarter. The hosts had seven circle entries while Canada had three.
At the start of the second quarter Manpreet fired in a cross from the left but couldn’t find any Indian striker at the goalmouth. India tried to maintain the tempo. However, Hardik failed to latch on to Nilakantha’s pass at the right of the goalpost.
Canada managed to steal the ball, and Scholfield and Panesar attempted to get the ball into the Indian circle, but the ball was out of the back line. Canada came back strongly in the last part of the second quarter. But Indian defenders stood tall to foil few of their attempts. India managed well to hold on to their solitary lead till the first half.
After the change of ends local lad Amit launched an early attack, but Mandeep failed to latch on. Then Amit himself also failed to get the cross into the back of the goal when he was given charge to convert a penalty corner.
Van Son restored parity for them in the 38th minute. Then Akashdeep tried to get a cross in from the right, but the Canadian defence was exceptional to thwart the attempt.
Canada had a golden chance to double their lead in the 42nd minute, but James Kirkpatrick’s fierce strike was brilliantly saved by Indian custodian PR Sreejesh. The third quarter was interestingly poised 1-1.
In the fourth quarter India came with an aggressive strategy and increased their intensity. Chinglensana doubled the lead for India after firing from the edge of the circle in the 47th minute. It seemed as if India were on a mission as Lalit found the back of the net again from a pass from Akashdeep just after a minute to put India 3-1 ahead.
India earned another penalty corner through Lalit in the 50th minute. Amit got his drag-flick right this time to put India in a strong position with a 4-1 lead.
India were on a scoring spree as Lalit scored his second and India’s fifth in the 58th minute from a nice deflection of Sumit near the goalmouth to seal the deal in India’s favour.