PR Sreejesh was the hero of the penalty shootouts as India defeated Great Britain 4-2 in the penalty shootout to make it to the semifinals of the men's hockey event on August 4, Sunday. The match had finished 1-1 in normal time as India played for most of three quarters with ten men after Amit Rohidas was given a red card.
Sreejesh made a crucial save to deny Philip Roper, and Rajkumar Pal scored the decisive goal, capping off a remarkable performance that secured India a spot in the final four for the second time in a row at the Olympics. Harmanpreet Singh had given India the lead in the 22nd minute before Lee Morton equalized for Great Britain.
The match began with Great Britain applying significant pressure, but the Indian defense held strong. Despite Great Britain's early dominance, they failed to capitalize on their opportunities, including two penalty corners within the first five minutes. Sreejesh pulled off an incredible save from Samuel Ward in the 11th minute, and India responded by applying pressure of their own, earning three consecutive penalty corners, all saved by Great Britain's defense.
The second quarter brought heightened drama. Sreejesh made a crucial save following a midfield mistake that allowed Great Britain into the Indian circle. The game's major turning point occurred in the 17th minute when Amit Rohidas received a red card. Rohidas was running with the ball when Calnan challenged him from behind. Rohidas' stick, in an unnatural position, struck Calnan on the head, leading to a straight red card after the referees' discussion.
Despite being down a man, India took the lead against the run of play. Harmanpreet converted a penalty corner in the 22nd minute, sending the ball past Great Britain’s goalkeeper Payne. However, Great Britain equalized through Lee Morton in the 27th minute, bringing the score to 1-1 at halftime.
The third quarter saw Great Britain dominate, with Sreejesh making a vital stop in the 32nd minute to deny Rupert Shipperly. India's penalty corner count rose to ten as they focused on defense throughout the quarter. Sumit's green card reduced India to nine players temporarily, adding to the challenge.
In the fourth quarter, India began to show more attacking intent, pushing towards the Great Britain circle. A pivotal moment came in the 56th minute when Sreejesh made a brilliant save against Calnan’s shot, maintaining the tie and sending the game to a penalty shootout.
The shootout began with Albery scoring against Sreejesh, but Harmanpreet Singh quickly equalized for India. Wallace then scored for Great Britain, but Sukhjeet responded with a fine finish to level the score at 2-2. Great Britain missed their next attempt as Williamson fired wide, and Lalit Upadhyay put India in the lead with his effort. Sreejesh made a crucial save against Roper, and Rajkumar Pal sealed the victory for India, ensuring their progression to the semifinals. They will now face either Argentina or Germany in the semi-finals.
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