India failed to qualify for the Hockey World Cup 2023 quarter-finals after losing to New Zealand in a shootout 4-5 on Sunday at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. At full-time, the teams tied 3-3, sending the game to a shootout. The game was tied at 3-3 in the shootout as the game entered sudden death, where New Zealand defeated the home team 5-4 to advance to the quarter-finals.
In the first quarter, India and New Zealand remained tied at 0-0 because neither team could threaten the other. Harmanpreet Singh of India came close to breaking the deadlock in the dying minutes but misjudged it, allowing Simon Child to stop him.
The New Zealand captain was given a two-minute suspension for tackling India’s Abhishek in the first quarter. Lalit Kumar Upadhyay gave India the lead in the second quarter with an easy goal in the left corner.
After Akashdeep gained possession of the ball, he passed it to Shamsher, who eventually passed it to Lalit, who made no mistake in the 18th minute. India was awarded a penalty corner, but Lalit missed it this time. Seven minutes later, Sukhjeet Singh doubled India’s lead to 2-0.
Harmanpreet Singh attempted to score from a penalty corner, and Sukhjeet deflected the ball off the rebound. Soon after, New Zealand equalised through Sam Lane in the 29th minute. Lane and Child combined before Lane scored near the backline to keep India ahead 2-1 at the half.
In the third quarter, India earned another penalty corner, and Varun Kumar scored in the 41st minute. Varun flicked the ball through the legs of New Zealand goalkeeper Dixon to give India a 3-1 lead. The hosts’ joy was short-lived, however, as Kane Russell converted a penalty corner to keep New Zealand in the game.
New Zealand won a penalty corner in the fourth quarter, and Sean Findlay found the ball off the rebound in the 50th minute to tie the game at 3-3 with India. Soon after, India was awarded a penalty corner, but the hosts failed to capitalise. Simon Child nearly brought New Zealand home, but India’s Pathak saved it by a hair’s breadth, forcing the match into a shootout.
Here is how Twitter reacted to India’s defeat
A crazy match of hockey ends with a New Zealand win.
The dream has perished for India to win the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/yvTNaswaxb
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 22, 2023
New Zealand against India in Cricket World Cup and Hockey World Cup pic.twitter.com/lCddbgsAOT
— Newton (Android Version) (@memeroid_) January 22, 2023
* India lost to NZ and is now out of the Hockey World Cup..*
Mood : pic.twitter.com/DyM3pQl2HM— N I T I N (@theNitinWalke) January 22, 2023
Heartbreak for India as they bow out from FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. Here are some crucial moments from the game.
??IND 3-3 NZL??
(SO: 4-5)#IndiaKaGame #HWC2023 #HockeyWorldCup2023 @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI pic.twitter.com/CiXiy9JPU0— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 22, 2023
No matter what, #MenInBlue will always have our back! ?#IndiaKaGame #HockeyIndia #HWC2023 #StarsBecomeLegends #HockeyWorldCup @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI pic.twitter.com/As9BxU5zKY
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 23, 2023
India to NZ ? pic.twitter.com/UTlSEWjRTZ
— Armaan Mulla (@Armaan_mulla_7) January 22, 2023
next time onwards when its Ind Vs NZ ( in A WC in ANY sport) have this as your DP before hand
— Blunt 3.0 (@0_blunt2) January 22, 2023
India deserved this result.. terrible misses throughout the game, and finally choked the shootout where we were in a favourable condition. ?
— Tanmay (@Tanmayroyy) January 22, 2023
We need to do something serious to NZ
. They always knocked us out from world cups— Diwakar kr Pathak (@dwkr16) January 22, 2023
Hockey ho ya cricket yahi hume bahar karte hain ?
— Mehran ?????? ?? (@mehranzaidi) January 22, 2023
