Hockey, FIH Pro League as it happened: Harmanpreet’s hat-trick sees India defeat England 4-3

Coming up in the Pro League, Indian senior men will next take on Germany over the 14-15 April weekend. Before that, the Indian women are scheduled for a big test against Netherlands on 8-9 April weekend,

Follow Scroll.in’s coverage of Indian hockey here and specifically, the Hockey Junior World Cup here.

9.30 pm: India remain top of the standings (men) but have played more matches than their competitors. They will look back on yesterday’s result as a point dropped but bounce back well to register an outright win today. A solid weekend for England too in Odisha.

Player of the match: Harmanpreet Singh, for the second night on the trot.

Full time stats: England finish with more possession but that was largely down to India sitting back at the end. A solid performance from both sides.

FULL TIME: India 4-3 England The entertainment never stops in the Pro League it must be said. Another dramatic match.

Q4, India 4-3 England: India have the ball back with 20 seconds to go. Without mistakes, they should see this out.

Q4, India 4-3 England: A green card for England and India each. Both teams will finish one man short. Xess and Griffiths.

Q4, India 4-3 England: Manpreet back on the pitch after his suspension. Can India hang on?

Q4, India 4-3 England: 3 mins to go. England come forward again. But India have a chance to counter but Harmanpreet couldn’t quite the final pass with an empty goal. 2 mins to go.

Q4, India 4-3 England: England have taken their GK Mazarelo off. A bit early with 4 mins to go? Can India male this count?

Q4, India 4-3 England: The visitors are dominating possession at the moment, but not dangerous possession. 4 mins and a bit to go.

Q4, India 4-3 England: Oh looks like a yellow card for Manpreet. No, it’s a green. Just a couple of mins.

Q4, India 4-3 England: Slipping and sliding happening at the moment. Not making for the best of hockey. England it seems are the more likely to create a chance at the moment.

Q4, India 4-3 England: Turnovers from both sides at the moment. 10 mins to go.

Q4, India 4-3 England: Nicholas Park (same happened yesterday if I am not mistaken) makes it 10v10. Green card.

Q4, India 4-3 England: Shilanand Lakra with a green card for a tackle in the middle. India down to 10 for a couple of minutes.

Q4 begins, India 4-3 England: What late drama is in store today?

Score update: England’s 2nd has been given to Condon for a late deflection.

End of Q3, India 4-3 England: And breathe. For a bit, at least.

Q3, India 4-3 England: GOAL ENGLAND! Another low drag flick, another goal for Sam Ward. What an exhibition of PCs it has been today.

Q3, India 4-2 England: PCs for England now, back-to-back. Jugraj has collected a green card too.

via FIH: It’s taken 5 PCs here, as each of the first 4 attempts ends up in an English foul. But 5th time Harmanpreet beats them all.

Q3, India 4-2 England: GOAL INDIA! AND FINALLY THE PRESSURE PAYS OFF! Harmanpreet Singh with a hat-trick. What a night for him. That is superbly placed low to the right of the goalkeeper.

Q3, India 3-2 England: It is another good rush by England, it is another PC for England to defend..

Q3, India 3-2 England: Well, another PC. It’s like we are in a loop at the moment!

Q3, India 3-2 England: Goalkeeper’s save again, but deemed dangerous. India went for a variation there. Another PC

Q3 India 3-2 England : Lalit does brilliant with his dribbling to win a PC. Harmanpreet’s shot is saved, another PC for India.

Q3 India 3-2 England GOAL ENGLAND!! Sam Ward. A good hit across goal from the PC. England are back in it, nice and low to the right of Pathak.

Correction, England have another PC that doesn’t go to plan. And it is another PC from there.

Q2, India 3-1 England: Bandurak, who had a brace yesterday, finds the leg of Rohidas again and India have another PC.

Q2, India 3-1 England: A PC for England, Pathak in goal for India now.

Q2, India 3-1 England: India looking to keep possession at the moment.

Q2, India 3-1 England: Reid must be happy with what he is saying now. Good high pressure from India, England pegged back at the moment.

Q2, India 3-1 England: Jugraj Singh this time and it is a lovely reflex save from James Mazarelo.

Q2, India 3-1 England: Think Reid will want to see a bit more out of Lalit and Gurjant from the second half. Oh, just as we say that Manpreet win a PC for India with a rasping hit on goal.

Q3 starts: IND 3-1 ENG

Coach Graham Reid: Corners are working pretty well. We are getting good pressure on them, need to convert them into scoreboard pressure on England.

First half stats: England have shaded possession but it might not have been the most active sort of possession. The circle penetrations and PCs a better indicator of India’s control.

HALF TIME: India 3-1 England – India have bounced back brilliantly after going down a goal. Manpreet Singh equalised, Harmanpreet Singh scored twice in quick succession.

Q2, India 3-1 England: India lose their video referral, wanted a push in the circle. Not given.

Q2, India 3-1 England: GOAL INDIA! Harmanpreet 101, in more ways than one. This one is low to the right of the goalkeeper from the angle.

Q2, India 2-1 England: GOAL INDIA! HARMANPREET SINGH CENTURY! Take a bow.

Q2, India 1-1 England: Good rush, it’s another PC for India.

Q2, India 1-1 England: Brilliant from Harmanpreet Singh, superb stickwork to win a PC. Will it result in a century?

Q2, India 1-1 England: A couple of times now India’s forwards have not quite been on the same page. The ideas are good, the execution is a yard behind. England come forward now... India hang on.

Q2, India 1-1 England: Not a PC is the verdict, good review by England.

Q2, India 1-1 England: Shamsher with a lovely nutmeg inside the circle, India given a PC but England immediately review.

Q2, India 1-1 England: Not much to write home about the opening five minutes of this quarter. Both teams looking for a spark.

Q2 starts, India 1-1 England

The commentator reckons that’s the first goal Manpreet Singh has scored for India since 2019.

End of Q1, India 1-1 England: GOAL INDIA! Manpreet Singh with a goal to his name, that’s a rare yet pleasing sight. India try a PC variation too. India equalise just at the end of that quarter. Harmanpreet found Abhishek with a well placed variation, the deflection was saved but the India No 7 was on hand to finish it.

Q1, India 0-1 England: A PC for India.

Q1, India 0-1 England: Another decent move, fizzles out in the end as Rohidas mishits a pass. India doing alright in midfield but the final third... not so much yet.

Q1, India 0-1 England: Gurjant does well to create a half chance... India not able to sustain any pressure at the moment. Three mins to go.

Q1, India 0-1 England: Lull in the play... India need to respond quickly.

Q1, India 0-1 England: Low, powerful, hit at some speed! But it is just wide.

Q1, India 0-1 England: Nice drag flick from Jugraj, but England defend it somehow. Another PC though.

Q1, India 0-1 England: Goalmouth scramble, a PC for India. NO Harmanpreet for now.

Q1, India 0-1 England: GOAL ENGLAND! A brilliant variation by England. Sam Ward finds Liam Sanford at the far post, neatly deflected in! Pathak had no chance.

Q1, India 0-0 England: Another PC for England, won by Sam Ward. India don’t think so. But they have not reviewed.

As Amit Rohidas once again rushes out brilliantly, and the commentator once again refers to how he is one of THE best PC rushers in the world, read this by Shahid Judge.

FEATURE: Amit Rohidas’ rush to success

Q1, India 0-0 England: Amit Rohidas, who else, rushes out to defend that PC. How good is he at that.

Q1, India 0-0 England: A PC to England, an aerial ball to the edge of the circle, Hardik Singh deemed to have made it dangerous to receive.

Q1, India 0-0 England: A cagey start to the match.

Q1: India 0-0 England: Pushback in Odisha! A look at the Indian starting XI. Krishan Pathak begins in goal after his brilliant outing last night. (Expect India to rotate anyway).

via FIH: James Albery captaining England, who rotate their captains fairly frequently. Amit Rohidas, who comes from the state of Odisha, leads India out. India with a few changes to their squad today. Mandeep Singh a notable name missing.

National anthems time! England followed by India.

India coach Graham Reid: Really good experience to have these shootouts. Tonight we really want to more quality opportunities, once we do we need to capitalise. Let ourselves down a bit last night on that front. Both teams perhaps felt that same way.

England coach Zak Jones: If you are going to give them short corners they are going to punish you. Hopefully was an exciting match to watch.

Earlier today, a superb win for the junior Indian women at the World Cup

07.25 pm: Hello all and welcome to our live coverage of Indian hockey as the Amit Rohidas-led Indian men’s team take on England for the second of back-to-back matches in Odisha this weekend in what promises to be another cracking set of FIH Pro League matches.

A tense shoot-out following a frantic end to the regular period, saw Indian men come away with a bonus point in their match against the England men’s team. A real up and down battle saw the lead change hands thrice and thrice the trailing team equalised, the last of which saw England score from a Penalty Stroke with mere 12 seconds left to play. Much like the game the shoot-out also saw multiple opportunities for both teams to get the win and India finally did, on the 7th shoot-out attempt. (via FIH)

Truth be told, the match on Saturday was largely poor from an Indian perspective. Coach Graham Reid will be, must be, looking for a response.

First leg: Match ends 3-3 in regular time, India clinch shootout bonus.

Screenshots courtesy: Disney+Hotstar / FIH