Tokyo: The Indian men’s team added another inglorious chapter to their lopsided rivalry with Australia as they slumped to a 1-7 defeat in Pool A of the Tokyo Olympics men’s hockey tournament on Sunday.
The Indians haven’t beaten Australia in the Olympics after the 1976 Montreal Games. In their head-to-head record, India have lost 86 times to the Kangaroos, and won just 22 and drawn 21.
The men in blue, having overcome New Zealand in their opening game, face Spain next, followed by Argentina and hosts Japan.
The top four teams from the two pools will advance to the last-eight knockout stage.
The Indians had an even share of exchanges in the first quarter, and trailed by a 10th-minute goal scored by Daniel James Beale.
Australia came hard in the second quarter and caught the Indian defence napping. Goalkeeper P Sreejesh, Amit Rohidas and the rest failed to check the speedy Australian attacks, conceding three goals in the space of five minutes and thereby killing any hopes of turning the tables on their nemesis Australia.
Down 0-4 at half time, India pulled one back early in the third quarter as Dilpreet Singh scored a fine field goal.
But the yellow brigade made it clear it was in no mood to let India back in the game as Blake Govers scored twice – in the 40th and 42nd minute — to make it a tennis-like scoreline (6-1).
The Aussies took their foot off the pedal in the final quarter and added just one more to the tally to complete a miserable day in the office for the hapless Indians.
The Indians cut a sorry figure in converting as well as defending penalty corners. The likes of Sreejesh and Birender Lakra had no answers to the Aussies as they scored from three of their six penalty corners. India, on the other hand, drew a blank from their five penalty corners.
