TOKYO: A resolute Indian men’s hockey team created history by winning an Olympic medal for the first time in 41 years, defeating a tenacious Germany 5-4 in an action-packed playoff match at the current Games here on Thursday.
The eight-time Olympic gold medalists, who have endured a painful downturn over the previous four decades, have made their recent revival matter in the greatest manner imaginable by winning an Olympic medal.
On Thursday, the Indian men’s hockey team created history by winning an Olympic medal for the first time in 41 years, defeating a tenacious Germany 5-4 in an action-packed playoff match at the current Games in Tokyo.
The eight-time Olympic gold medalists, who have endured a painful downturn over the previous four decades, have made their recent revival matter in the greatest manner imaginable by winning an Olympic medal.
Simranjeet Singh (17th and 34th minutes) scored a hat trick, while Hardik Singh (27th), Harmanpreet S
Timur Oruz (2nd), Niklas Wellen (24th), Benedikt Furk (25th), and Lukas Windfeder (2nd) scored for Germany (48th).
The Indians, determined to win a medal, staged one of the most spectacular comebacks in the history of the sport, rallying from a two-goal deficit to win the match.
The Indians, headed by Manpreet Singh and coached by Australian Graham Reid, savoured the historic occasion with tears and hugs on the pitch.
In the history of the Olympics, India has won three bronze medals in hockey.
No. 5 in the world It was heartbreak for Germany, as they were unable to duplicate their bronze medal-winning performance from the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The Indians were sluggish to get going in the first quarter, as Germany was the dominant team on show.
The Germans pressured the Indian defence from the start and took the lead via Oruz in the second minute.
In the fifth, India was awarded a penalty corner, which they failed to use.
The other two were held in 1968 in Mexico City and 1972 in Munich.