Ending their campaign on a high, the Indian men's hockey team beat France 5-4 in the final match of the five-nation tournament. The victory was driven by braces from both Jugraj Singh and Harmanpreet Singh, along with a goal from Vivek Sagar Prasad. While the win was a highlight, the overall tournament was tough for India, as they had previously lost all three of their matches against Spain, Belgium, and Germany.
The match began with France taking the lead through Lucas Montecot's penalty corner in the 11th minute. India responded in the second quarter, first equalizing via a field goal from Vivek and then taking a 2-1 lead through Jugraj's skill at a penalty corner. The momentum stayed with India as captain Harmanpreet scored again from a penalty corner to put them up by two.
France clawed back into the game when Etienne Tynevez converted a penalty stroke in the 28th minute, leaving India with a 3-2 lead at halftime. The tension rose in the third quarter when Gaspard Baumgarten leveled the score at 3-3 in the 43rd minute. This set the stage for a defensive battle in the final quarter as both teams fought for a winning edge.
France briefly took the lead again in the 53rd minute through another Etienne Tynevez penalty corner, but the joy was short-lived. Harmanpreet quickly equalized to make it 4-4, before Jugraj sealed the 5-4 victory with a final penalty corner. Although this win allows India to leave the 2023 Hockey Five-Nations Tournament with some dignity, the overall performance shows there is still significant work to be done ahead of future events.
On a separate note this Tuesday, India's Vice-Captain Hardik Singh was honored as the 2023 FIH Player of the Year. After receiving the award, the talented midfielder shared his gratitude, noting that it was a huge honor and credited his coaches, teammates, and fans for being the foundation of his success.
Hardik mentioned that this accolade motivates him to keep pushing his limits in the sport. He reflected on his journey, stating that the road to this award was paved with obstacles and lessons, proving that a combination of grit, hard work, and team support can lead to great things.