India had just quelled a valiant challenge from Germany to emerge 5-4 victors, a win which will be savoured by a country deprived of an Olympic medal in hockey for 41 agonising years. While the match was won on the strength and ability of the team, one man who withstood unrelenting pressure to see India through was PR Sreejesh. With 6.8 seconds left on the clock, the 35-year-old goalkeeper came up with the save of his career to deny the Germans an equaliser which could have taken the match to the shootout.
The last minute was full of drama. One can only imagine the pressure the team was under to deliver. With prayer on their lips, belief in their minds, backed by fitness and resolve, India took the field for their date with history. The Indian charge was dealt an early blow when a goalmouth melee led to Timur Orus connecting Florian Fuchs’ pass past Sreejesh in the second minute. With their backs to the wall and a one-goal deficit, India began the second quarter with intent and purpose and three minutes into it, Germany paid the price for going full press.
On the counter, Nilakanta Sharma dribbled swiftly before relaying a through pass to Simranjeet Singh, who made no mistake in finding India’s equaliser. Germany forged ahead yet again in the 24th minute. Barely had India recovered from the goal when the Germans dispossessed Surender Kumar in the circle for Benedikt Furk to find the mark.
Germany failed to hold on to the lead for more than two minutes as India levelled, with injector Hardik Singh (27th minute) and Harmanpreet Singh (29th) putting their team back in the game. A minute into the third quarter (31st), Rupinder Pal Singh converted a penalty stroke but the drama was only unfolding. Simranjeet handed India a 5-3 advantage when Gurjant Singh blazed through the right flank and sent the ball to the striker, who scored from a close range.
India entered the final quarter with a 5-3 advantage. The Germans played rough and their skipper Tobias Hauke was sent out with a yellow card. But Lukas Windfeder put a fresh wind in the German sail, converting a penalty corner in the 48th minute. India then withstood repeated attacks up until the last few seconds.
