England produce late comeback to draw thriller with India

England 4

Liam Ansell (42 FG); Phil Roper (50 FG); Nick Bandurak (47 FG, 53 FG)

India 4

Lalit Kumar Upadhyay (2 PC); Singh Mandeep (13 FG, 23 FG); Singh Harmanpreet (46 PC)

England produced a fabulous fightback to draw 4-4 with India and remain unbeaten at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Roared on by passionate support at the University of Birmingham Hockey Centre, the host nation scored three times inside the final quarter, including a dramatic leveller from Nick Bandurak.

India had raced into a three-goal lead within 22 minutes and for large periods of the game looked to be on their way to a second straight win at the Games.

But two crucial yellow cards in the third and fourth quarter hampered their efforts and swung the momentum towards England, who nearly snatched a winner in the midst of a frantic finale.

Instead they had to settle for a draw which keeps them top of Pool B.

England now know a win on Thursday against Canada will safely secure passage to the semi-finals.

England: Payne (GK); Waller; Ward; Albery; Roper; Goodfield; Ansell; Condon; Sorsby; Smith; Calnan.

Subs: Griffiths; Sloan; Rushmere; Bandurak.

Unused sub: Mazarelo

Match Report

It was end-to-end from the off, with Olympic bronze medallists India getting the breakthrough after just two minutes.

The Men in Blue converted the first penalty corner after Ollie Payne’s initial save was turned in on the rebound by Lalit Kumar Upadhyay.

England responded almost instantly when Tom Sorsby won a penalty corner, but Bandurak’s resultant drag flick was deemed dangerous hitting the first runner above the knee.

And the hosts were left facing an uphill struggle when a fluent Indian counter ended with Singh Mandeep swivelling inside the circle and firing home.

The second quarter was a similar story with England punished by ruthless finishing, Mandeep getting his second after his effort was deflected in off Rhys Smith, giving the half-time score a one-sided slant.

But the host nation refused to throw in the towel and improved in the third quarter, entering India’s circle almost at will.

They finally had something to show for it when Liam Ansell smartly finished off an incisive move following a quickly taken free hit by David Condon.

And when Kumar Varun received his second yellow card of the game, England were heading into the final quarter with a man advantage.

The hosts were hit with a sucker punch when a penalty corner was converted by Singh Harmanpreet, after an obstruction was given against Smith.

Within seconds England had reduced the deficit, Bandurak scoring for the third straight game in Birmingham after getting on the end of Jack Waller’s clever cross.

They soon set up a frantic finish after a piece of genius from Phil Roper, who somehow managed to work the ball in from the goal line, evade multiple defenders and have the calmness to flick the ball beyond the oncoming goalkeeper.

Bandurak very nearly levelled from a penalty corner, only to shave the post while India were further disadvantaged when Singh Gurjant also saw yellow.

That created more and more space and England’s talisman Bandurak made them pay, meeting a Sam Ward cross to level things up.

There was still time for England to force their third penalty corner of the match after good work from Waller, but it wasn’t to be, and the full-time hooter sounded shortly after to close out a Commonwealth classic.

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