India U18 Men end series with a 3-3 draw against Australia
Bhopal, May 20
The India U18 Men's Hockey Team ended their four-match series against Australia with a 3-3 draw at the Udhav Das Mehta Central SAI Centre in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, on Wednesday.
The U18 men finished the series with one win, two draws, and one loss, as per a Hockey India press release.
India started the match strongly and scored two early goals, courtesy of Karan Gautam (10'), who converted a penalty corner in the 10th minute, followed by a field goal from Ben Siddharth (14').
However, Australia fought back and equalised in the second quarter. Jet Johnstone (18', 25') scored a crucial brace to bring Australia level by halftime.
After a closely fought third quarter, India regained the lead thanks to a field goal by captain Ketan Kushwaha (40'). India did their best to defend the advantage, but Australia found another equaliser late in the game as Andrew Faulds (57') scored a field goal with just three minutes remaining.
Earlier in the day, the India U18 Women's Hockey Team produced a dominant display to defeat the Australia U18 Women's Team 4-1 in the fourth and final match of the series.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great fightback from the boys! But we need to work on defending leads - we were 2-0 up and then 3-2 up but couldn't hold on. Still, a series with one win, two draws and one loss against Australia is commendable at this level. 👏
As an Australian hockey fan, I have to say this Indian U18 team is incredibly talented. They pushed us to the limit in every match. The future of Indo-Aus hockey rivalry is going to be epic! Both teams showed great sportsmanship. 🇦🇺🤝🇮🇳
Ben Siddharth's field goal was a beauty! And Ketan Kushwaha's captain's knock in the third quarter showed real leadership. The girls also dominated 4-1. Hockey is truly alive and kicking in India. Well done, SAI Centre Bhopal for hosting this! 🏑🔥
Impressive series from both sides. India's U18 teams are clearly developing well with structured play and good fitness levels. The women's team winning 4-1 is particularly encouraging. Australia will need to step up their youth development programs! 👏
Honestly, we need to be more clinical in closing out matches. Twice we had the lead and twice we let it slip. Jet Johnstone was too good for our defence today. But overall, a positive sign for Indian hockey's depth. Keep working hard, boys! 💪🏑
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