Sport

Last-minute goal does India in

Santiago: India blew away an early lead and allowed Great Britain to pull off a 3-2 win to virtually assure itself a final berth in the Olympic hockey qualifying tournament here on Thursday.

Rob Moore scored in the last minute to guide Great Britain to its fourth win in the league, while India remained on nine points from three wins with one more league match to go.

V. Ramachandra Raghunath converted two penalty corners in the 2nd and 64th minutes to keep India in the game. But Britain, keeping its composure despite the early reverse, hit back through Richard Mantell (15th) and Jonty Clarke (45th) before Moore came up with the match-winner.

In other matches, Austria overcame unexpected resistance from Mexico for a 3-1 win, while Russia won its first game with an upset 2-1 defeat of host Chile.

While an early goal failed to inspire India, the British displayed resilience to keep chipping away at the rival defence and eventually score the equaliser. The Indian team resorted to needless physical play leading to yellow card suspensions for Vikram Kanth and Shivendra Singh. The team could not settle down and the game plan of using the long hits to breach the British defence did not pay off. The match began on a rousing note with the Indians forcing a penalty corner in the first minute and Raghunath converting with a powerful drag-flick.

Britain hit back in like manner with Richard Mantell finding the back of the net with a well-directed flick past goalkeeper Baljit Singh in the 15th minute.

India began the second-half on a positive note, forcing two penalty corners in quick succession but could not convert either.

A relieved Britain then applied pressure while the Indians struggled to scramble the ball upfield.

Past the 45th minute, Britain took the lead as Clarke found the net following a mix up in the Indian defence following a Richard Alexander-Hawes move from the right.

Thereafter, the exchanges were fairly even with neither side able to take control. The pressure was more on India to catch up and desperation was fairly evident in its moves, most of which were rather disjointed.

With about six minutes left for the close, India forced its fourth penalty corner and Raghunath was yet again on target with a low flick.

The equaliser sparked the match into a frenzy of action. Britain came up with some threatening moves and a minute from close, got the match-winner as Moore dived to deflect a Simon Mantell cross to clinch the issue.

The standings (read as team, matches played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, goal difference, points): Great Britain 4 4 0 0 26 3 +23 12.

India 4 3 0 1 35 7 +28 9; Austria 4 3 0 1 15 15 0 9.

Chile 4 1 0 3 9 10 -1 3; Russia 4 1 0 3 6 22 -16 3; Mexico 4 0 0 4 2 36 -34 0. — Agencies

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