In what could be termed as one of the greatest fightbacks, India, who were down and out before the final quarter, came from 0-2 to pull off a stunning victory over Argentina in the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup in Chennai on Wednesday.
India struck four times in eight minutes to win the third-place playoff and take home the bronze medal.
Argentina opened the score early in the opening quarter, earning a Penalty Corner with a high press. Argentina won a penalty stroke from the short corner which Nicolas Rodriguez converted.
The visitors began the second half strongly and doubled their lead late in the third quarter through Santiago Fernandes, putting India under immense pressure. Despite earning four consecutive penalty corners earlier in the quarter, India couldn’t convert, and the visitors held a threatening 2-0 advantage heading into the final 15 minutes.
With the bronze medal slipping away, India launched a relentless comeback in the fourth quarter. Ankit Pal pulled one back from a penalty corner with 11 minutes left, injecting life into the contest. Moments later, India earned another PC, and Manmeet Singh produced a brilliant deflection to level the score at 2-2 with nine minutes remaining.
The momentum had completely shifted as India pushed forward with intensity. Their perseverance paid off when they earned a penalty stroke, and Sharda calmly slotted it into the left corner to make it 3-2 with just three minutes left on the clock.
Argentina attempted to respond and even earned a penalty corner, but India defended it superbly. With the opposition forced to defend without their goalkeeper in the dying moments, India struck again—Ekka Singh converting yet another penalty corner to seal a commanding 4-2 comeback victory. The final whistle confirmed an unforgettable night for Indian hockey.
Scoring four goals in the final quarter, coach PR Sreejesh and his team etched their names in history, delivering India’s first bronze medal in the Junior Hockey World Cup.
