The Hindu : Sport / Olympic Games : India signs off in style

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 28, 2004

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Sport - Olympic Games

India signs off in style

By Kamesh Srinivasan

ATHENS, AUG. 27. India signed off in style, beating Korea 5-2, to take the seventh position at the Helliniko hockey centre here on Friday. It was a repeat of the last Olympics in Sydney when the eight-time champion had taken the seventh position.

"I told my players that we should finish this tournament with a victory because the last impression is very important. The young players did what we told them all the time'', said the German coach of the Indian team, Gerhard Rach.

Starting without Baljeet Singh Dhillon and Dhanraj Pillay, the Indian team slotted in three goals in the first 16 minutes and led 4-0 at halftime.

It was Gagan Ajit Singh who set the tempo as he slammed home from an acute angle on the right past the goalkeeper, in the fourth minute, following a pass from Rasquinha.

The Koreans responded by forcing a penalty corner, and Dilip Tirkey rushed out to foil the attempt by Lee Jung Seon. In fact, Dilip swiftly triggered a counter-attack and Gagan attacked from the left this time, in putting the team ahead 2-0.

Two goals in the first 12 minutes not only pushed Gagan's tally from the tournament to seven goals, but also thoroughly unsettled the Koreans, the Sydney silver medallists and the reigning Asian Games champions.

Into the 16th minute, it was Vikram Pillay who pushed one home, even as he struggled to stay on his feet in beating the Korean goalkeeper Kim Jong Min, who had a tough day at the office.

The Koreans managed to force four penalty corners in the first half, but were unable to make any breakthrough. The Indian team in comparison was able to slot in its fourth goal, as Prabhjot Singh pushed one in following a melee, with three minutes left for the interval.

India did not force a single penalty corner in the whole match, but had no reason to complain. The Koreans forced five more penalty corners in the second half, and converted the last two into goals with Ji Seong Hwan and Kang Seong Jung finding the target.

Gagan Ajit sparkles

The Indian team put the finishing touches with Adam Sinclair tapping one in, after being nicely put through from the left by Gagan Ajit Singh, the star of the day.

Baljeet Dhillon was brought in as Harpal Singh went out with an injury 13 minutes into the second half.

A little later, Dhanraj came in for Rasquinha, and played for about three minutes before the latter returned to the field.

Dhanraj may not have been too pleased with his tenure in the middle in his last match in his fourth Olympic Games.

"It was a good match. In the second half we were tired and let Korea score two goals'', said the Indian skipper Dilip Tirkey.

It was disaster for Korea, which at one stage was three minutes away from a semifinal berth during its last league match against Germany.

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