Bhubaneswar:Skipper Harmanpreet Singh's brace went in vain as the Indian men's hockey team conceded three goals in the final quarter to lose 4-6 to Australia in a FIH Pro League match here on Thursday. It was Australia who started and finished the match in style with the Indians dominating in the middle period.
Harmanpreet (12th, 20th minutes) converted two penalty corners, while Sukhjeet Singh (18th) and Mandeep Singh (29th) were the other goal getters for India. Blake Govers struck twice for Australia in the second minute besides Aran Zalewski (40th), Lahlan Sharp (52nd), Jacon Anderson (55th) and Jack Welch (58th).
The Kookaburras took India for a surprise at the start of the match with Govers handing the visitors a 2-0 lead in the second minute. He first scored from Australia's first penalty corner past India custodian Krishan Bahadur Pathak and then doubled his side's lead with an unstoppable shot past the goalkeeper.
It was full press from the Kookaburras in the first 10 minutes as they secured another penalty corner soon but the Indians defended stoutly. It was relentless pressure from Australia and it took a save from Pathak to deny Welch from a penalty corner.
In the 12th minute, India secured their first penalty corner and Harmanpreet made no mistake, firing in with a rocket flick which Australia goalkeeper Andrew Charter had no answer to. India grew in confidence with the goal and started to dominate the proceedings and minutes later Abhishek' shot from Sukhjeet's feed was saved by Charter.