FIH Hockey Pro League: India defeats Germany 3-1 in the second leg, maintains the top spot at the table

The win gives India a ten-point lead at the top of the table, taking all six points in the stint against Germany.

There were quite a few memorable moments in the match. Within the regulation time, Sukhjeet Singh in the 19th, Varun Kumar in the 41st minute and Abhishek in the 54th minute were the goal scorers for India, while Smith in the 45th minute was the sole goal scorer for Germany.

The match started with India trying to get an early lead, while the German side played more aggressively compared to the first game, keeping the Indian midfield troubled. India managed to create some early chances but failed to open the scoring. The first quarter ended without any goals scored.

The Indian squad came out aggressively in the second quarter of the match as Sukhjeet Singh opened the scoring for India with a brilliantly taken shot which sent the ball right into the net past the German goalkeeper. The first half ended with a one-goal lead for India.

Varun Kumar doubled the lead for India in the 41st minute with a perfectly placed low-level shot from the penalty corner that went directly into the bottom left corner of the net. With just one minute left on the clock at the end of the third quarter, Smith opened the scoring for Germany, making a comeback with the fourth international goal of his career. The third quarter ended with India leading 2-1.

The final goal of the match was scored in the 54th minute by Indian striker Abhishek. He took an impressive shot while surrounded by five German defenders giving India a two-goal lead. The fourth quarter ended with a 3-1 victory for India, while Abhishek was named the player of the match.

India maintains their lead at the top of the charts with 27 points in 12 matches, while Germany is trailing at the second spot with 17 points in nine games played.