India held the Netherlands to a 1-1 draw in the 100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation International Tournament, with Harmanpreet Singh (12') and Jasper Brinkman (40') scoring the goals for their respective teams.
The Men in Blue bounced back from their defeat to Spain in the opener with a valiant performance against the Dutch.
They started the match on the front foot and kept creating scoring opportunities and secured an early lead after winning a penalty corner. Hardik Singh set up Harmanpreet who kept his calm and slotted the ball past the Dutch keeper.
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In the second quarter, both teams exchanged penalty corners, but neither could find success against the goalkeepers. Krishan Pathak, who substituted for PR Sreejesh, made some remarkable saves, denying the opposition's attempts.
Sreejesh was back in action in the third quarter and the experienced goalkeeper remained composed between the sticks to thwart the opponent.
Visser, too, showcased his skills by denying India a second goal. It was finally the seasoned drag flicker, Jasper Brinkman, who managed to break the deadlock for the Dutch, levelling the scores with an impressive conversion from a penalty corner.
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Towards the end of the third quarter, India initiated an excellent counter-attack led by Harmanpreet, aiming to reclaim the lead. Despite their efforts, they couldn't breach the Dutch circle.
Both teams went hammer and tongs at each other in the fourth quarter but the scoreline remain unchanged.
What next for Indian hockey in the Torneo del Centenario?
On 28 July, the Indian men's team will take the field at 4:30 PM IST to face England.
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How to watch India play in the Torneo del Centenario
For Indian viewers, the Torneo del Centenario will not be broadcast on television. The men's matches against Netherlands and England will be streamed for free on Olympics.com while live streaming for other games will be available on the watch.hockey platform.
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