Paris Olympics: India Secure 2-0 Victory Over Ireland in Men’s Hockey

Paris: The Indian men’s hockey team secured a commanding 2-0 victory over Ireland on Tuesday, solidifying their position in the fiercely competitive Pool B at the Paris Olympics.

Skipper Harmanpreet Singh led the charge, scoring twice (11th, 19th minutes) – first with a penalty stroke and then a penalty corner, securing a crucial win for India.

Previously, India had edged past New Zealand 3-2 in their opening match and drawn 1-1 against Argentina. Unlike those encounters, India launched an aggressive attack from the outset against Ireland, earning their first penalty corner within two minutes, although Harmanpreet’s initial attempt was thwarted by the Irish defence.

The breakthrough came in the 11th minute when Harmanpreet converted a penalty stroke, following a midfield interception by Gurjant Singh who linked up with Mandeep Singh, drawing a foul in the circle.

In the 19th minute, India earned consecutive penalty corners, with Harmanpreet successfully converting the second opportunity.

India’s next challenges are formidable: they face reigning Olympic champions Belgium on Thursday and finish their pool matches against powerhouse Australia on Friday.