Hockey Olympics: India won bronze by defeating Spain 2-1, Sreejesh's victorious farewell

The Indian men's hockey team defeated Spain on Thursday and won the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics 2024. In the match, India came in third place. India also won the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics 2020. India has won the bronze medal for the second time in a row. This is India's fourth bronze medal in the Olympic Games.

The Indian team's attempt was to retain its bronze medal by winning this match and bid farewell to its star goalkeeper PR Sreejesh with an Olympic medal. Team India attacked in the beginning itself. In the sixth minute, Jarmanpreet entered Spain's D and created an opportunity. Jarman could not convert himself. India had earlier won the bronze medal in 1968, 1972, and 2020.

In the first quarter, both teams adopted the strategy of attacking, due to which the role of defense became important. In this match, Team India had Amit Rohidas. His absence was felt by Team India in the semi-finals. This time Amit did a strong job and kept the defense strong in the first quarter. Both the teams could not score a goal in the first quarter.

There was no difference in the attacking approach of both the teams in the second quarter as well. Spain has success here. In the 17th minute, Spain entered the Indian circle and got a penalty stroke. In the 18th minute, Mark Miralles converted it into a goal and put Spain ahead 1-0. Sreejesh could not do anything about Mark's stroke. In the 20th minute, Spain got a penalty corner which could not be converted into a goal. Immediately Spain got another penalty corner and this time also Spain did not succeed.

Spain became more aggressive after scoring the goal. It continuously made a place in the circle of Team India. In the 24th minute, Spain almost scored the second goal, but once again Sreejesh saved it. In the last two minutes of this quarter, Spain again tested Sreejesh in which he was successful and disappointed Spain on two occasions. India immediately countered and got a penalty corner. However, the goal could not be scored. In the last minute, India again got a penalty corner and Harmanpreet scored the equalizing goal.

India did not delay much in taking the lead in this match. In the 33rd minute, India got a penalty corner and this time again Harmanpreet put the ball in the net. India again got a penalty corner in the 35th minute, but this time the captain could not score a goal. Immediately Abhishek was given a green card.

In the 40th minute, Spain got a penalty corner on which a goal was scored but the referee declared it disqualified. In the last minutes, India had chances to double its lead and Spain had chances to equalize but both teams failed.

Spain, fighting for equalization, got a penalty corner in the fourth minute, however, the goal could not be scored. India also tried for a field goal in the next minute. The ball was in front of the goalpost and Surjeet was also there. He tried but hit the ball out. In the last minutes, Spain played brilliantly and did not let India get the ball. Most of the time, Spain had the ball possession. India's defense showed full strength and did not let a goal be scored. In the last one minute, Spain also got a penalty corner which was saved by Sreejesh. From here again all the efforts of Spain failed and once again India got the bronze medal.