In a thrilling encounter, the Indian men’s hockey team secured the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics after defeating Spain 2-1 in the third-place match at the Yves du Manoir Stadium in Paris on Thursday. This victory marks a significant milestone for Indian hockey, as the team secured its first back-to-back Olympic medals since the 1972 Munich Games.
Nail-biting Battle Against Spain
The match started with Spain drawing first blood, as Marc Miralles beat P.R. Sreejesh from a penalty stroke in the second quarter. However, India responded with a determined effort, leveling the scores just before the half-time whistle, courtesy of a Harmanpreet Singh drag flick.
Harmanpreet Singh’s Heroics The Indian captain proved to be the hero of the match, as he scored the decisive goal three minutes into the second half, once again from a penalty corner, to give India the lead. Despite being reduced to 10 players in the final period after Sukhjeet Singh was reprimanded with a green card, the Indian team held firm and staved off any potential danger from the Spanish side.
Dramatic Finale
In the closing minutes of the match, Spain won a short corner in the penultimate minute but was denied by the heroics of P.R. Sreejesh, India’s experienced goalkeeper. Harmanpreet conceded another short corner 44 seconds from the final hooter, but errors in trapping the ball at the circle cost Spain the match-equalling chance, allowing India to hold on to their lead and secure the bronze medal.