India win the opening game of the Men’s FIH Pro League 2021-22 against France

The Indian hockey team beat France 5-0 in its opening match of the Men’s FIH Pro League 2021-22 at the University of North West in Potchefstroom, South Africa on Tuesday.

Harmanpreet Singh (21’), Varun Kumar (24’), Samsher Singh (28’), Mandeep Singh (32’), Akashdeep Singh (41’) scored the five goals from India. The result sees India take up second place on the FIH Pro League 2021-22 points table. England are top with two wins from as many matches.

Up against the world No. 13 French team, against whom India have won both their previous meetings, Manpreet Singh and Co. made a breezy start and created a host of early opportunities.

The first penalty corner of the match went India’s way in the nine-minute-mark but the French defense and goalkeeper Arthur Thieffry dealt with the danger and the follow-up. France managed to create a couple of half-chances of their own towards the end of the opening quarter but none quite severe enough to worry the Indian goalkeeper Umang.

India, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallists and world No. 3, continued to look the more dangerous of the two sides in the second quarter, keeping the French defense on the backfoot with a high press.

The sustained pressure finally paid off as Harmanpreet Singh converted a penalty corner in the 21st minute to break the deadlock. It was Harmanpreet’s 89th international goal.

After going behind the French team started showing a little more adventure in search of an equalizer, with Viktor Lockwood creating most of the problems for the Indian backline.

With just about six minutes left to half-time, however, India struck again with Arun Kumar burying a powerful low drag flick past Thieffry from a penalty corner.

Three minutes later, the deficit increased to 3-0. The move initiated from a French penalty corner – their first of the match. India ran down the drag flick well and turned it into a quick counter-attack, which was eventually turned in by an unmarked Samsher Singh.

Akashdeep Singh, playing his 200th match for India, could have made it worse for France soon after but Thieffry was up to the task this time around and ensured his team didn’t suffer any more damage before the half-time hooter.

The save, though, turned out to be a temporary respite as Mandeep Singh thundered home a Manpreet Singh corner to make it 4-0 minutes into the third quarter. Akashdeep Singh added to France’s misery in the 41st minute after finishing off a well-worked team move.

Armed with a considerable lead, India took firm control of the match.

France tried hard to reduce the margin of defeat in the final quarter but the Indian defense managed to hold them at bay. India also got a few opportunities to add to their tally but the score eventually stayed 5-0 till the final whistle.

The match was India’s first competitive outing of 2022 while France was making their FIH Pro League debut.

India face host South Africa next at the same venue on Wednesday.