Welcome to Sportstarlive 's LIVE coverage of the Hockey World League's second match between India and Australia.
India dominated the first two quarters but it was Australia which held its nerve in the last two and didn't allow India to score and maintained possession.
India now meets England on Saturday, December 2 at 7.30 pm.
End of the fourth and final quarter. The match finishes 1-1.
59' Sumit tries his luck in the dying minutes but cannot hold on to the ball and loses it.
58' Manpreet Singh trying to play up and push for an opening but the chances elude the captain.
56' Gurjant Singh turns around and tries to attack but his shot is well blocked by a defender inside the circle.
54' Manpreet Singh takes a good pass from Harmanpreet but couldn't pass it clean to Sunil.
India has wasted yet another PC, meanwhile. Penalty corner conversions has been the bane for India, especially since the Asia Cup.
51' Akashdeep at it again. This time he can only rattle the woodwork and another chance for India goes down.
48' India couldn't make the numerical advantage count. Australia was down to 10 men with Whetton getting a green card.
48' India has started this quarter with a positive intent. It is building pressure off the flanks and is making entries into the circle.
Meanwhile India captain Manpreet Singh is playing his 200th match.
End of third quarter. The scoreline remains 1-1.
44' Akasdeep takes a chance. He sends a good shot but cannot keep it precisely on target.
43' India is just losing the plot here. It has been too soft and Australia is back in dominance. The scoreline remains 1-1 but it has almost been Australia's quarter now.
42' Birendra Lakra and Amit Rohidas haven't been in their best at the back. They miss a couple of sitters but the Australians couldn't capitalise on that.
38' Two more PCs for Australia in quick time. It has had six corners but Karkera has done well to keep the Australians at bay.
37' Three penalty corners for Australia. And Suraj Karkera, in the gaol, swings into action and saves India the blushes.
India loses its referrals after a couple of poor calls from the players.
36' Sumit tries to restore the lead for India but a long-range effort is way wide of the target.
35' India is letting the intensity slip. The passes have become wayward and the attempts fruitless.
32' Back-to-back penalty corners for India. The first one is saved in a defensive skirmish while Harmanpreet couldn't put it beyond the goalkeeper in the second.
31' India begins on the attack again. Varun passes to Uthappa and then to Akashdeep but the striker couldn't make it count for a goal but gets a PC for India.
Half-time. The scores are level at 1-1. Akashdeep Singh and Sunil have played a stellar role till now. It is the finishing that has hurt India the most. It needs to be more menacing upfront.
27' Dipsan Tirkey hasn't been in the best of form. His passing hasn't been accurate. India has been able to get into the circle but the finishing has been poor.
24' Chikte almost makes ammends. Pulls off a great save to deny Australia.
23' Australia has been on the attack since the goal. India needs to stay put and not allow any more circle entries. The Aussies are showing grit and is are slowly taking control of the match.
It is 1-1 now.
21' Australia back on level terms. A penalty corner and Jeremy Hayward converts the chance. Probably could have been a goalkeeping error, but it would be hard on Chikte too. The shot wasn't very fast but Chikte could have done better to stop the goal.
1-0 to India
20' India scores. Mandeep Singh it is! What a shot. A reverse flick and the Australian goalkeeper had no chance. He took a pass from Lalit Upadhyay and unleashes a ferocious strike.
17' Akashdeep it is! Fluffs a chance again. S.V. Sunil tries to send one on goal but the ball deflects off a defender and gets to Akashdeep but the striker shoots it agonisingly wide off the post.
End of first quarter. The deadlock remains. India has got the bulk of chances but poor finishing hasn't been helpful in India's cause.
13' India on the counter attack. Akashdeep gets one through but a defender spoils his party.
12' Australia gets its first PC but Akash Chikte makes no mistake.
7' Harmanpreet Singh sends a nice through ball but Akashdeep Singh misreads Harmanpreet's intention and miss taking the pass clean.
India enjoying a 72% possession in Australia's half. Talk about dominance!
5' India gets a penalty corner. Rupinderpal Singh could only direct his hit towards the Australian goalkeeper who saved it head on!
What a start this has been from India. It is on the attack from the word go.
3' Akashdeep Singh from the left and takes a shot and it was well saved by the Australian custodian, Lovell Tyler. The rebound gets to Gurjant, who misses it for the second time in as many minutes! Just not the kind of start India would have hoped for.
1' India on the attack. Gurjant Singh tries a reverse hit but couldn't get it on target.
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In the first match of the day Germany beat England 2-0.
The teams are warming up and it promises to be a humdinger. The stadium is full. Every inch of space in the stadium is taken. The Indians are in a huddle while the Australians are going through the paces. Australia is ranked two in the world while India is ranked six.
The teams are out and are getting ready for the National Anthems. The Australian anthem first followed by the Indian anthem.
And, here is the Indian starting XI.
If you had missed the preview of the tournament, read it here .
Two years after Birendra Lakra crashed during a Hockey India League game and hurt his knee, the 26-year-old is back and is raring to go. Click here to read what he had to say.
And, this is what talismanic dragflicker Rupinderpal Singh feels.
During a training session the Indian men’s hockey team’s chief coach Sjoerd Marijne emphasised on speed and tactical training and this is what he had to say.
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