Champions Trophy: India lose to Australia 1-2, finish fourth

BHUBANESWAR: India wasted a golden opportunity to break their 32-year-old medal jinx in the Hero Champions Trophy tournament after going down to Australia 1-2 in a hard-fought bronze medal play-off match of the eight-nation meet on Sunday.
Schedule and Results | Match in Pics
Playing before a vociferous packed home crowd at the Kalinga Stadium, it was the best chance for the Indians to end their medal drought in the tournament but as has been the case in the entire tournament, missed chances continued to haunt Sardar Singh and Co.
The only time India had won a medal in the Champions Trophy was when they bagged a bronze in the 1982 edition in Amsteelveen, the Netherlands.
A bronze would have at least given some solace to the Indians after their heart-breaking 3-4 defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-voltage second semifinal last night.
But it was not to be as once again India conceded a late goal to lose the match. Australia scored two field goals through skipper Eddie Ockenden (18th minute) and Matt Gohdes (52nd) to win a consolation bronze after having retained the title the last five times.
India's lone goal was scored by young striker Lalit Upadhyay in the 42nd minute.
The loss meant India couldn't even better their previous performance in the tournament though they had a bright chance.
It will definitely be a heartbreak for the Indian players as they finished fourth in the last edition of the tournament in Melbourne two years ago.
Against Australia, it looked the Indians were yet to recover from the shock defeat against Pakistan and that too in front of the home crowd.
The Indians were slow to get off the blocks and looked sloppy and out of sorts in the opening two quarters.
India hardly created any chances in the opening half. Australia looked the better side on display and also had the better share of chances.
Australia had the first real scoring chance in the fifth minute of the match when they won their first penalty corner, but the Indian defence did well to deny the Kookaburras.
Australia kept up the pressure on the Indian defence and it resulted in their first goal in the 18th minute from the sticks of Ockenden, who scored with a gentle push off Jacob Whetton's pass from the right.
Australia maintained their supremacy in the rest of the second quarter and managed to secure their second penalty corner just 50 seconds from halftime, but a variation try was anticipated well by Sreejesh.
After the change of ends, India looked a different side as there was purpose and content in their game.
Unlike the first two quarters, India did not sit back and went on the offensive and the move resulted in two back-to-back penalty corners, the second of which was utilised by the hosts to draw level.
Lalit scored from a goalmouth melee after India messed up the second short piece.
Thereafter, the Indians created a lot of chances, but faltered in execution.
10 minutes from full time, an unmarked Sunil missed a great chance. With only Australia goalie Tyler Lovell to beat, Sunil scooped it straight to him and shot wide the resultant rebound.
The miss cost India dearly as Australia struck back two minutes later through Gohdes, who scored off a rebound after Whetton's initial shot was saved by Sreejesh.
With time running out, India pressed hard in search of the equaliser and managed to secure their third penalty corner in the 55th minute, but wasted the chance while going for a variation instead of straight strike.
Akashdeep Singh then missed a sitter three minutes from the hooter, summing up India's disappointing day.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the Netherlands spanked Argentina 4-1 in the fifth-sixth place play-off match, while England defeated Belgium 3-2 to finish seventh. and Ghodes scored for Australia in the 19th and 52nd minute respectively while Lalit scored for India in the 42nd minute of the third place play-off match.
Australia got their first penalty corner in the fifth minute of the first quarter after they find Gurbaj's foot but Chris Ciriello's strike was deflected by onrushing Indian player Gurjinder with his stick.
Akashdeep got a golden chance to put India ahead in the 9th minute but his flashy reverse flick went over the cross bar.
Australia's Daniel Beale got a two-minute suspension after receiving a green card in the 14th minute.
Aussies got a good chance inside 30 seconds of the second quarter but Jacob Whetton failed to connect Russell Ford's hit at the Indian goal mouth.
Australia finally broke the deadlock in the 19th minute to take 1-0 lead after Eddie Ockenden scored off a gentle push from Jacob Whetton from the right.
Australia had a chance to double their lead at the stroke of halftime but Indian goalkeeper PR Srjeejesh made fine back-to-back saves on penalty corners.
Gurjinder Singh was shown the green card for clumsy tackle as India were down to 10 men in the third quarter for two minutes. Australian Matt Ghodes too got a green card and a two minute suspension.
India finally got their first penalty corner in the 42nd minute but Rupinderpal hit it on the foot of Jacob Whetton to get the second penalty corner.
Australia saved the penalty corner strike but Lalit scored on a goal-mouth melee to level the scoreline 1-1 for India in the 42nd minute.
Tempers were flaying as the game was stalled for few minutes after SV Sunil and Timothy Deavin got into a brawl after a rough tackle by the latter.
Indian striker Sunil got a sitter as he was one on one with Aussie goalkeeper Andrew Charter after receiving a long ball but he made mess of it in the 50th minute. He goofed up and threw away his stick in frustration.
Matt Ghodes put Australia ahead 2-1 against India in the 52nd minute after Whetton's hit was blocked by Sreejesh but Gohdes slotted in the loose ball.
India tried their hard to score an equalizer towards the end of the fourth and final quarter but all their efforts went in vain and they had to settle with fourth position.
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