PR Sreejesh inspired India to win the Gold Medal in 2014 Asian Games Men’s Hockey event by defeating arch rivals Pakistan 4-2 in the shootouts and as a result of that, the men in blue qualified for the 2016 Rio de Janerio Olympics.
India came into the finals with a 2-1 loss on their back in the league phase against the same opponent and started the game with an early deficit as Rizwan Mohammad scored for Pakistan in the 3rd minute with a powerful stroke which was failed to be stopped by the Indian goalkeeper. Pakistan were the superior team in terms of technique in offence as well as defense. India tried their best in the first quarter to find an equaliser but Pakistan’s defense has not allowed India any chances whatsoever. Credits has to be given to the Pakistani Keeper was excellent at his job of protecting the goal.
India came back into the game through Kothajit, who stuck his stick out and deflected the ball inside the net in the 25th minute. And since then, both the team looked far awauy from scoring the winner. Both the teams got their chances but the Keepers did an outstanding job to deny the field players as the match went into the shootout. This is what happened in the shootout.
1st Penalty Stroke: India 1 – 0 Pakistan (Akashdeep Singh)
2nd Penalty Stroke: India 1 – 0 Pakistan (Imran)
3rd Penalty Stroke: India 2 – 0 Pakistan (Rupinder Pal Singh)
4th Penalty Stroke: India 2 – 1 Pakistan (Muhammad Waqas)
5th Penalty Stroke: India 2 – 1 Pakistan (Manpreet Singh)
6th Penalty Stroke: India 2 – 1 Pakistan (Muhammad Umar Bhutta)
7th Penalty Stroke: India 3 – 1 Pakistan (Birendra Lakra)
With this win, India have defeated Pakistan for the second time in the Asian Games Finals and won their third gold medal in Asian Games Hockey history.