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India's junior men's hockey team clinched a thrilling bronze medal at the Sultan of Johor Cup after a nail-biting 3-2 shootout victory over New Zealand on Saturday. The match ended in a 2-2 stalemate in regulation time, setting the stage for a tense penalty shootout.Goalkeeper Bikramjit Singh emerged as the hero for India, making three crucial saves in the shootout. Strikers Gurjot Singh, Manmeet Singh, and Sourabh Anand Kushwaha converted their penalties with precision, securing the victory for their team.Earlier in the match, India had taken an early lead through goals from Dilraj Singh and Manmeet Singh. However, New Zealand fought back in the final quarter with goals from Owen Brown and Jonty Elmes, forcing the match into a shootout.India started the match with a strong attacking display, creating several scoring opportunities. Dilraj Singh opened the scoring in the 11th minute, assisted by Mukesh Toppo. Manmeet Singh doubled India's lead in the 20th minute with a brilliant field goal, assisted by Anmol Ekka and Mukesh.New Zealand struggled to create scoring chances in the first half, but they came out with renewed determination in the fourth quarter. Brown scored in the 51st minute, assisted by Bradley Rothwell, and Elmes equalized in the 57th minute, setting up the dramatic shootout.In the shootout, Bikramjit Singh made three outstanding saves, denying New Zealand's attempts to score. Gurjot Singh, Manmeet Singh, and Kushwaha converted their penalties with confidence, securing the bronze medal for India.

India's young hockey team displayed remarkable resilience and composure to secure a thrilling 3-3 draw against New Zealand in their final round-robin match at the Sultan of Johor Cup on Friday. The result leaves India's fate in the hands of other teams as they await the outcome of Great Britain and Australia's matches against Japan and Malaysia, respectively.India started the match brightly, taking an early lead through Gurjot Singh's fine goal in the 6th minute. Gurjot's second attempt on goal, assisted by Sukhvinder, proved successful as he lofted the ball over the goalkeeper and into the net. India had a chance to extend their lead in the 8th minute with two back-to-back penalty corners, but the New Zealand goalkeeper produced outstanding saves to deny them.New Zealand gradually grew into the game and created an attacking formation that helped them make a successful foray into the striking circle. However, Rosan Kujur's sharp defense kept them from scoring. In the 17th minute, New Zealand's Jonty Elmes equalized with a fine field goal. India responded quickly, with Rohit striking from a penalty corner to regain the lead.Both teams played with frantic speed and intensity, with India creating a flurry of penalty corners towards the end of the second quarter. However, they were unable to find success. To their dismay, New Zealand began the third quarter with a fine penalty corner conversion by Elmes, who had struck for the second time. Elmes' fierce power in his drag-flick was a pain-point for Indian defense, as he completed a hat-trick of goals in the 45th minute to take New Zealand 3-2 ahead.India's problems with penalty corner conversion continued in the fourth quarter as they missed a chance in the 46th minute. New Zealand, on the other hand, came up with brilliant counter attacks in the following minutes, but Indian defense held sway. With 90 seconds left on the clock, India found a golden opportunity to equalize when they earned a penalty corner. This time, they found success with a splendid variation which was executed to perfection by Talem Priyobarta, ending the thrilling encounter with a 3-3 draw.

India's junior men's hockey team continued their impressive run at the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia, defeating hosts Malaysia 4-2 on Tuesday. The victory propelled India to the top of the standings with nine points, while New Zealand and Australia followed with five and four points, respectively.Malaysia started the match aggressively, scoring two quick goals through Muhammad Danish Aiman and Harris Osman in the eighth and ninth minutes. However, India responded swiftly, with Sharda Nand Tiwari converting a penalty corner in the 11th minute and Arshdeep Singh scoring a field goal two minutes later.The second quarter remained scoreless, but India regained the lead in the third quarter. Talem Priyobarta scored from the edge of the circle in the 39th minute, and Rohit extended India's advantage with a penalty corner strike a minute later.Malaysia earned a penalty corner in the fourth quarter but failed to convert. Both teams had several more penalty corner opportunities, but neither could capitalize. India held on to their 4-2 lead until the final whistle, securing their third consecutive victory in the tournament.India's victory was a testament to their resilience and determination. Despite conceding two early goals, they fought back to take control of the match. Their defense held firm in the final quarter, preventing Malaysia from mounting a comeback.

The Indian men's hockey team suffered a disappointing 1-4 defeat against Belgium in their second match of the European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24. Despite a valiant effort, India was unable to overcome a strong Belgian side that dominated the match from start to finish.In the opening quarter, Belgium showcased their attacking prowess, but India's defense held firm, absorbing the pressure and preventing any clear-cut chances. As the quarter progressed, India began to gain momentum, pushing Belgium back into their own half. However, both teams failed to break the deadlock, and the first quarter ended goalless.The second quarter saw Belgium take the lead through Felix Denayer, who found space inside the area and finished from close range. India responded with a penalty corner, but Harmanpreet's shot was well-blocked by the Belgian goalkeeper. Despite repeated attacks, India was unable to find an equalizer before halftime.After the break, India started aggressively, but Belgium's defense remained resolute. The third quarter saw plenty of action on both ends, but it was Belgium who doubled their lead through Alexander Hendrickx, who successfully converted a penalty corner.With 15 minutes remaining, Belgium extended their lead to 3-0 through Cedric Charlier, who scored a fine field goal. India finally got on the scoreboard through Abhishek, who found the back of the net in the 55th minute. However, Belgium sealed the victory with a penalty stroke converted by Hendrickx in the 60th minute.The match marked a significant milestone for Jarmanpreet Singh, who completed 100 international caps for India. Despite the defeat, India will look to bounce back in their next match against Great Britain on Sunday.