Image Courtesy- Twitter/ The hockey India
The Indian hockey team seems to be back on track at the Tokyo Olympics. The Indian team, which suffered a crushing 1-7 defeat against Australia on Sunday, defeated Spain 3-0 in a Pool A match on Tuesday. With this win, India’s chances of reaching the quarter-finals have strengthened. Team India has reached the second position in Pool-A with 4 points from 3 matches. While Australia remains on top.
India took a 2-0 lead in the first quarter itself. Simranjit Singh put India 1-0 ahead with a field goal in the 14th minute of the match. In the very next minute, Rupinder Pal Singh scored a penalty stroke to take India’s lead 2-0. Neither team could score in the second and third quarters. In the fourth quarter, Rupinder Pal Singh scored a penalty corner to give India a decisive 3-0 lead.
In Hockey, there are 6-6 teams in Pool-A and Pool-B. India is in Pool A. Apart from India and Spain, there are teams likes; Australia, Argentina, and host Japan in the same group. India will have to be in the top-4 of the pool to reach the quarter-finals. Team India had defeated New Zealand 3–2 in their first match, but Australia defeated them 7–1 in the next match. In this pool, only Australia is above India in the team rankings.
The Indian hockey team has been the most successful in the Olympics. India has won 8 Gold, 1 Silver, and 2 Bronze medals. However, India has not won any medal after the 1980 Moscow Olympics. India won gold in 1980. India was ranked fifth in 1984, sixth in 1988, seventh in 1992, eighth in 1996, seventh in 2000, and seventh in 2004. India could not qualify in 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Indian team finished 12th in 2012 and eighth in 2016.