England come from behind to beat India 4-2 in Hockey World Cup Pool D at Wagener Stadion
India lost 4-2 to No. 3-ranked England at the Wagener Stadion in Amstelveen on Monday in their Hockey World Cup Pool-D match, with England overturning an early deficit to secure the victory. Bandurak scored twice, including a 54th-minute penalty corner, while Stuart Rushmere and Henry Croft also found the net for England.
Under gloomy skies at the Wagener Stadion, photographs showed Stuart Rushmere and Nicholas Bandurak celebrating the opening goal. England arrived at the tournament boasting the season’s best defensive record, having conceded an average of one goal per game across 17 matches. India had won on the opening day but, according to the report, failed to answer lingering questions in this Pool-D reverse.
Bandurak opened the scoring in the 13th minute after capitalising on a defensive lapse. India recovered with Harmanpreet Singh converting a 16th-minute penalty corner and Dilpreet Singh scoring in the 24th minute following neat work from Hardik Singh and Abhishek Nain on the byline.
India again struggled against England’s man-to-man full-court press, which forced turnovers in dangerous areas and swung momentum. England’s pressure yielded the go-ahead goal in the 38th minute when Stuart Rushmere stretched to finish Liam Sanford’s driven pass past Mohith H.S.
Late in the third quarter Henry Croft restored England’s lead in the 42nd minute after receiving time and space to turn and shoot past Mohith H.S. Before that restart, rolling substitutions had been called and Jugraj Singh delayed leaving the pitch, prompting head coach Craig Fulton to order him off the field. India pressed in the fourth quarter but, despite England receiving two green cards, lacked ideas and composure inside the circle to fashion an equaliser.
Bandurak completed his brace with a 54th-minute penalty corner that, as reported, took England through to the second round. The match finished India 2 (Harmanpreet 16-pc, Dilpreet 24) lost to England 4 (Bandurak 13 & 54-pc, Rushmere 38, Croft 42).
While India can still reach the next round, this result will make its route to the semifinals more difficult. The Indian women’s team will face South Africa on Tuesday.
