Penalty corner specialist Rupinder Pal Singh helped India cruise to a 4-0 victory over New Zealand in the bronze medal match of the 2017 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup
The Indian men’s hockey team clinched the bronze medal at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup after a comfortable 4-0 win over New Zealand in the 3rd/4th classification match on Saturday. Penalty corner specialist Rupinder Pal Singh’s double strike gave India a 2-0 lead in the first half. Rupinder Pal sent identical ground drag-flicks into the corner past New Zealand goalkeeper Richard Joyce’s outstretched right hand in the 17th and 27th minutes.
SV Sunil then scored his first goal of the tournament in the 48th minute as he capitalized on a cross from Mandeep Singh into the goalmouth, while Talwinder Singh rounded off India’s scoring in the last minute.
India made a bright start to the match, creating a number of opportunities in the first quarter putting New Zealand on the backfoot.but at the same time they failed to capitalize the two penalty corners they were awarded in the opening quarter.
India showed huge improvements after their 1-0 lose against Malaysia in the previous game. India had finished runners-up in last year’s edition when they had lost 0-4 to Australia in the final.
