India cruise into second round

13/10/2001

By Jugjet Singh in Hobart

WITH three wins and 15 goals in the bag, India cruised into the second
round yesterday with a stunning 3-0 win over Spain at the Tasmanian Hockey
Centre yesterday.
Playing in the cold rain, Indian skipper Ajit Singh Gagan, who played in
the 1998 Commonwealth Games as a 17-year-old budding star, ran circles
around the Spanish defenders and amazed the 200-odd crowd with his skill
and composure in controlling his teammates.
Spain were totally outpaced and there was never a moment when they
looked like they could have made a comeback.
India scored in the seventh minute off a Jugraj Singh penalty corner and
as the rain got heavier and the wind stronger, they too grew in strength
and were unlucky not to have increased the lead further in the first half.
In the second half, a move involving Bimal Lakhra, Arjun Halappa, who
also played in the 1998 Commonwealth Games and Thakur Sonkhla mesmerized
the Spanish defenders and Thakur sounded the board.
And India confirmed there would be no Spanish comeback in the 48th
minute when Ajit made a dash from the left and dribbled past three players
before slotting home.
India finished as Group C champions while Spain join them in the second
round.
In Group D, Germany and New Zealand are assured of a second round ticket
and the Germany-Malaysia match today will decide who tops the table.
England and Australia played to a draw yesterday which means England top
Group A with seven points while Australia are second with five.
"After the first goal, which unsettled my players, I knew that India
would be hard to beat. So when we were 3-0 down, I sent in some
substitutes to expose them," said Spain coach Salvador Indurain.
Indurain said he won't be surprised if India make the final.
In the 1997 edition in in Milton Keynes, England, India finished second
behind champions Australia and have retained most of the players.
(END)