{"id":281289,"date":"2025-04-14T03:50:24","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T03:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/14\/sukhjeet-harman-abhishek-ambush-germany-in-third-quarter-as-youngsters-put-in-handy-assists\/"},"modified":"2025-04-14T03:50:24","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T03:50:24","slug":"sukhjeet-harman-abhishek-ambush-germany-in-third-quarter-as-youngsters-put-in-handy-assists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/14\/sukhjeet-harman-abhishek-ambush-germany-in-third-quarter-as-youngsters-put-in-handy-assists\/","title":{"rendered":"Sukhjeet, Harman, Abhishek ambush Germany in third quarter, as youngsters put in handy assists"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Sukhjeet,<\/div>


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After India beat Germany 5-3 in the second match of the bilateral series at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, India head coach Craig Fulton couldn\u2019t help but be a little philosophical. \u201cWhat we did today was just what we couldn\u2019t do in the first match. That is sport. I don\u2019t know how it works sometimes,\u201d he chuckled. \u201cWhen you want it to happen, it doesn\u2019t. When you least expect it, it comes in spades.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spades, indeed. After a somewhat similar storyline in the first half \u2013 India trailed 0-2 on Wednesday, and 0-1 on Thursday \u2013 India turned on the style in 14 blistering minutes of hockey. Sukhjeet Singh scored in the 34th minute and 48th minute of the match, and between those two moments, India went from 0-1 to 5-1. Germany eventually got a couple of goals late in the match and bagged the series after a 3-1 shootout but the 8-goal match affair prior to that had been comfortably India\u2019s.<\/p>\n

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It was especially the third quarter that stood out where India played some incredibly fast-paced attacking hockey against a tiring German side, scoring four goals. The blitz began when Mohammed Raheel \u2013 possibly India\u2019s best player on the day \u2013 began dribbling his way towards the attacking circle. He fed the ball to Shilanand Lakra to his left, and the forward then shifted the ball smartly to hit a fine reverse-hit low pass into the danger area. The pass was so good that Sukhjeet just had to be present at the far post to tap the ball in. The Delhi<\/a> crowd finally had an Indian goal to celebrate after a decade.<\/p>\n

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#TeamIndia<\/a> ne Germany ke against \u27a1\ufe0f \ud835\ude52\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude66\ud835\ude69 \ud835\ude57\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude59\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude61 \ud835\ude59\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude6e\ud835\ude56, \ud835\ude45\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude68\ud835\ude57\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude69 \ud835\ude57\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude59\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude61 \ud835\ude59\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude6e\ud835\ude5a, \ud835\ude55\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude63\ud835\ude59\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude5c\ud835\ude5e \ud835\ude57\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude59\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude61 \ud835\ude59\ud835\ude5e \ud83e\udd79#MenInBlue<\/a> rally from 1\ufe0f\u20e3 down to stun World No. 2 Germany, winning the 2\ufe0f\u20e3nd match of the series 5\ufe0f\u20e3\u27963\ufe0f\u20e3 \ud83d\udcaa<\/p>\n

Watch highlights on #SonyLIV<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Zsbx0T1szw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sony<\/a> LIV (@SonyLIV) October 24, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

That would just be the start. In the 43rd minute, as India won their 10th penalty corner, Harmanpreet Singh came to the sidelines for a quick word with Fulton. Till then in the match, India were once again trying out variations or employing different takers. But now it was time for Plan A.<\/p>\n

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Story continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Harmanpreet, smash. The captain fired a rocket past Jean Paul Danneberg\u2019s outstretched right hand, sending the ball into the roof of the net. After going goalless in the first match, Harmanpreet would have two in two minutes as shortly after, he went low to the German goalkeeper\u2019s right and made it 3-1.<\/p>\n

While Harmanpreet\u2019s mini-turnaround didn\u2019t exactly come as a surprise, what was most pleasing from India\u2019s perspective was the contributions of the younger players. Raheel and Vishnukant Singh were brought in as part of the four changes Fulton made, and both of them put up impressive shows in the midfield. It was Vishnukant\u2019s pass that set up Abhishek for India\u2019s fourth, with the forward producing a lovely bit of ball-control before firing one more past Danneberg. Then early in the final quarter, Raheel\u2019s pass to Sukhjeet created an overload in India\u2019s favour and the latter ran through on goal to complete a diving finish.<\/p>\n

On the turnaround, Raheel said: \u201cThe plan at halftime was to just go all out. This was our last international match for 2024. There was no anger from Fulton, he is always calm. We were just aggressive in the third quarter. In the first half, we were missing a lot of final passes but in Q3 it all clicked.\u201d On his own performance, as he tries to nail down a regular place in the squad, he added: \u201cI play every match as if it\u2019s my last match.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fulton was impressed too. \u201cRaheel, Aditya (Lalage) and Vishnu.. all did well. We have to give these players an opportunity and today they were superb. We played well yesterday, but our play wasn\u2019t sharp. Today, we were full of energy, and pressed well, scoring some really good goals. The younger players contributing was very helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Relive all the action from the PFC India vs Germany Bilateral Hockey Series 2024! \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddea<\/p>\n

A thrilling contest between two giants of hockey, filled with incredible moments and unforgettable plays.
From start to finish, the series delivered non-stop excitement that had everyone\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/GmZTUEYtqs<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) October 24, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

His counterpart Andre Henning was left ruing a sloppy third quarter. The German coach also felt that the officiating in the first half was unfairly in favour of India but conceded that the mistakes his side made in the second were costly, and as his players started struggling physically, India\u2019s quality shone through. And he signed off with a smile, praising Harmanpreet\u2019s twin strike: \u201cThis flicker that India have\u2026 he is not the worst in the world, obviously.\u201d<\/p>\n