In a gripping showdown, the Indian men’s hockey team faced a tough defeat at the hands of Australia, losing 1-5 in the opening game of their five-match Test series in Perth. The hosts dominated the match with goals from Tim Brand, Tom Wickham, Joel Rintala, and Flynn Ogilvie, while Gurjant Singh scored the lone goal for India.
India began the game with a focus on ball possession and controlling the pace but fell behind early as Tim Brand scored for Australia in the third minute. Despite India’s offensive efforts, Australia maintained their lead throughout the first quarter, ending with a 1-0 advantage.
The second quarter saw Australia extending their lead with Tom Wickham’s brilliant goal, putting the hosts in a comfortable 2-0 lead at halftime. India struggled to capitalize on their chances, while Australia kept up the pressure and control of the game.
Australia continued their dominance in the third quarter, adding two more goals through Joel Rintala and Tom Wickham, further solidifying their lead to 4-0. Despite a goal from Gurjant Singh for India in the fourth quarter, Australia sealed the victory with another goal from Flynn Ogilvie, ending the game 5-1 in their favor.
The Indian men’s hockey team will be looking for redemption as they face Australia in their second game of the series on Sunday.
