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India beat Germany 2-0 in hockey

India beat the Germans 2-0 in Punjab Gold Cup hockey tournament on Tuesday.

Zeenews Bureau
Chandigarh, Feb 03: India continued their run of form in the ongoing Punjab Gold Cup hockey tournament as they beat the Germans 2-0 here on Tuesday.Both goals for India came through penalty corners. Dilip Tirkey converted the first in the 2nd minute itself. The second goal, also through a penalty corner conversion, came from Prabhjot Singh. India now have seven points from three matches, the same as Holland, but they are placed at number two position in the points table as the Dutch team has a better goal difference. Playing before the home crowd the Chandigarh-lad Baljit Singh, who was adjudged man-of-the-match, kept the Germans at bay and stood like a rock to save all the eight penalty corners, the Germans earned and tried to convert. India went into lead in the second minute of the match when Dilip Tirkey sounding the board through a penalty corner, the only one they earned in the first half. As the teams changed sides, Indians earned their second penalty corner. Skipper and penalty corner specialist Sandeep Singh hit a low drag flick and Prabhjot Singh sounded the post hitting from a rebound in the 53rd minute. The Germans, who are experimenting with a young team in this tournament, showed no signs of pressure and even had more ball possession. The Germans had the Indian defence on their toes earning seven penalty corners in the first half including two back-to-back on two different occasions but some smart work by Baljit thwarted the repeated attacks. Indian mid-fielders Prabodh Tirkey and Vikram Pillay looked off colour during the first half while the team itself looked low on confidence and lacked aggression, they had shown against Holland on Sunday. In the second half, the Germans earned their eighth penalty corner, but again Baljit`s alertness ensured India does not concede any goal.