October 14, 2009
Game 3 of the 7 Test Super Series couldn’t come quickly enough for Team Canada, as they left Victoria feeling that they deserved better than their 0-2 record would indicate. The match started well, as Scott Tupper made an immediate impact in his first game back from Europe, scoring on the game’s first penalty corner, 2 minutes in. Unfortunately, the 1-0 lead would evaporate quickly as Canada dug themselves an enormous hole, falling down 4-1 by the 45th minute.
Despite the score line, Canada was not being outplayed on the field and they salvaged a broken penalty corner opportunity in the 66th minute, bringing the score to 4-2. Canadian goalkeeper, David Carter, after surrendering four penalty corner goals, sensed then that he needed to send a message in order to keep the momentum in his team’s favour, and he made an incredible stick side save on India’s fifth attempt in the 75th minute.
“He had already gone four for four on me and I wasn’t going to let him put a fifth one in,” said Carter of his save. “I had to make that save to keep the guys in the game.”
Buoyed by Carter’s effort, the team responded by dominating the last five minutes of the match. After creating a number of offensive chances already, also in his first game back from Europe, Mark Pearson finally broke through in the 78th minute, when he took a beautiful feed from Rob Short to bring the game to within one for Canada.
“Shorty set me up real nice with a nice pass across and I just touched it in,” said Pearson of the goal.
With Canada’s relentless attack and the hometown crowd going wild in the last minute of play, Scott Tupper lofted an aerial pass that would find the goalscorer, Pearson, once again down field.
“It was just a beautiful ball from Tupper over the top,” explained a still excited Pearson, “I picked it up on the backhand and then I just let it fly.”
Canada’s Captain Ken Pereira was adamant that his team never gave up, “A lot of people thought it was over except for us.”
Similar to Game 2, the third installment was not without controversy. This time India’s second goal, scored on a penalty corner, was originally signaled no goal by the umpire closest to the play. The ball appeared to hit the cross bar, bounce straight down, and never cross the line.
“I didn’t think it went in,” said goalkeeper, Carter, on the play. But after conferring, the referees reversed their decision.
After the match, Canada’s video technician Aaron Guest reviewed the play, pronouncing, “It was a goal.”
Although Canada held the advantage in penalty corners with six to India’s five, India was superior on the set plays on Wednesday.
“They’ve got a great corner, one of the best ones in the world, and they sure use it,” said veteran Rob Short, speaking of Sandeep Singh’s 4 for 5 effort.
“With a guy like Sandeep, we can’t really be doing that,” said Tupper, agreeing that five was too many opportunities to give the potent India side.
Canada’s Head Coach Alan Brahmst felt his keeper could have been better on the plays, saying, “Our goaltending was sub-par on corners.”
Veteran Rob Short, playing in his 291st international match for Canada was not satisfied with the final outcome: “This was a game, like the last game, that I think we should have won. We just didn’t score on our chances, and India finished their chances.” Canada scored goals on two of their six penalty corner opportunities.
Brahmst was more positive on the final result: “I think this was a very important game for us. Although it was only a point, we finally got [one] so we’re on the board, and we’ll be ready to go for Game 4.”
Game 4 will take place on Friday evening, again at 6 p.m. in Surrey.
Scoring Summary:
CAN – Tupper, Scott; PC; (2’); 0-1
IND – Singh, Sandeep; PC; (9’); 1-1
IND – Singh, Sandeep; PC; (18’); 2-1
IND – Singh, Sandeep; PC; (31’); 3-1
IND – Singh, Sandeep; PC; (45’); 4-1
CAN – Short, Rob; PC; (66’); 4-2
CAN – Pearson, Mark; (68’); 4-3
CAN – Pearson, Mark; (70’); 4-4
Penalty Corner Chances: CAN 6 – IND 5
Report by Omar Rawji
I'm very busy with the Canadian Field Hockey assignment this week and next, so I will continue to post my reports here. Tonight, the teams will play their third match of the series - the first one on the mainland. So far, 15,000 tickets have been sold for the remaining 5 matches, so i will be an incredible atmosphere. If you are interested in attending or finding out any other information, visit www.fieldhockey.ca.
Photo by Neil Hodge
October 11, 2009
Game two of the 7 Test Super Series was a thriller, as both the Indian and Canadian teams created many scoring chances in a game that went right down to the last minute. The first half would see each team tally three goals a piece, with fans only being required to wait until the fourth minute for the first as India’s Mohammed Amir Khan scored, silencing the hometown crowd.
Following India’s goal, Canada mounted a spell of sustained pressure that would lead to three successive penalty corners. The first two shot attempts taken by Wayne Fernandes would be saved by India’s keeper, but he made sure on the third, scoring high blocker side in the 20th minute. By the end of the match, Canada held the decided 7-4 edge in penalty corners.
Less than a minute after Canada’s tying goal, India rushed the ball down the other way causing all sorts of havoc in the home team’s end. After a questionable effort at the ball by India, Canadian players thought that the referee had signaled an advantage their way, leading them to stop on the play, but half a second later, the ball ended up in the back of their net. Denying that he had intended to make a call, the umpire signaled a goal, giving India back the one goal lead and leaving the home team shaking their heads.
Showing resiliency in true Canadian fashion, the home side would come right back with more pressure as Phil Wright made a strong drive towards the net, leading to a penalty stroke.
"The ball came through to me and I just tried to keep my stick on it and win the battle. I got it through a few guys and then got my stick hacked," said Wright about the play. Rob Short took the stroke, calmly shooting the ball past the keeper, high blocker side.
The excitement of the first half continued as India was awarded their first penalty corner in the 32nd minute of play.
"We got out there quick and we got a stick on it, but it went post man side, so that was just a bit unlucky on our part," said Canadian goalkeeper, David Carter, of India’s converted opportunity that put India up once again.
Not wanting to go into the break down by a goal, Canada forced their fourth penalty corner chance of the half in the 35th minute, and Wayne Fernandes put away his second goal of the match. The score at halftime was three goals apiece.
The second half of the match would see less scoring but a decided edge in possession for Canada. A 40th minute penalty corner, with the shot again taken by Fernandes, would be deflected high over the net. Canada’s best non-penalty situation chance came in the 51st minute, when Ranjeev Deol took a stretch pass on the left side of the opposition’s net and slid it along the goalmouth to Wright.
"Jeevers made a really good pass across the net to me and I was just in a little too deep," said Wright, regretting a pair of missed opportunities. "I had a couple chances down there at the end. I just needed a little more luck my way, but it’ll come."
Despite holding most of the possession, Canada would give up their fourth penalty corner in the 66th minute of play and India’s Dhajanay Mahadik would convert his second of the match, once again putting them on top.
Determined not to leave empty handed, Canada dominated the last four minutes of the match, eventually causing another penalty corner, where Fernandes would have the final chance to even it up.
"I gave it everything I had and he just made a good save," said Fernandes, unhappy about the miss, despite his two goal effort in the match. "At the end of the day it’s a 4-3 loss for the team."
Head Coach Alan Brahmst felt his team deserved a better fate on Sunday: "In the second half we were the much better team." Comparing the effort to the first match of the series, he said, "We played better, it was a very different game and we put more pressure on them. I feel good about what we’re doing, we were the better team today, and we’ll just keep on them."
The third match of the series takes place this Wednesday at 6pm in Surrey, and Brahmst likes Canada’s chances.
Scoring Summary:
IND – Khan, Mohammad Amir; FG; (4); 1-0
CAN – Fernandes, Wayne; PC; (20); 1-1
IND – Singh, Shivendra; FG; (21); 2-1
CAN – Short, Rob; PS; (23); 2-2
IND – Mahadik, Dhajanay; PC; (32); 3-2
CAN – Fernanes, Wayne; PC; (35); 3-3
IND – Mahadik, Dhajanay; PC; (66); 4-3
Penalty Corner Chances: CAN 7 – IND 4
Report by Omar Rawji
