Paris: PR Sreejesh made a couple of brilliant saves in the final two minutes to hand India a 2-1 victory against Spain in the bronze medal match at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday. This was also Sreejesh’s final international outing for India as he bids adieu with a head held high. Both of India’s goals came from captain Harmapreet Singh, who finished the tournament with an astonishing 10 goals. Following the final hooter, the whole Indian team bowed down to Sreejesh. Harmanpreet also took the Indian veteran on his shoulders for a victory lap.
The Men’s in Blue could have won a gold or silver medal had they not lost 2-3 to Germany in the semifinals. This was also India’s second consecutive bronze medal after achieving the same feat three years ago in Tokyo. Harmanpreet Singh (30th, 33rd minute) scored a brace for India, while Spain’s only goal was scored by captain Marc Miralles in the 18th minute.
The medal is fitting farewell for veteran India custodian PR Sreejesh, nicknamed ‘ The Great Indian Wall of Indian hockey’, who drew curtains on his illustrious 18-year-old career with this match. He will be bowing out as the best ever goalkeeper India has produced. In the final later in the day, Germany will play Netherlands.
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Consecutive bronze medals for team India, we defeat Spain in the Bronze Medal match.
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India 2️⃣ – 1️⃣ Spain#Hockey #HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame #WinItForSreejesh #Paris2024 #INDvsESP@CMO_Odisha… pic.twitter.com/WlpzrZu4jh— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) August 8, 2024
This was India’s fourth medal at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 after shooting yielded the other three. For the record, after 52 years India won a back-to-back Olympics medal in hockey. “We are dedicating this medal to PR Sreejesh because it was his last ride,” Manpreet Singh said after the game.
“Its a good feeling to win bronze. The mindset was not go home empty handed. We dreamt of playing the final but somehow we lost in the semifinal. But thanks to whole country because they supported us throughout,” he added. Harmanpreet also apologized to the whole country for winning a gold medal.
“This is very big for the country. This was destiny for us. We had dreamt for gold but lost in the semifinal. I want to apologize for not winning gold but this is history,” added the captain. Talking about Sreejesh, it was emotional moment for the whole team. “I am happy that we won a medal for him,” he said.
Following the loss in the semifinals, the Indians regrouped themselves and showed their mental strength to claim another podium finish at the world’s biggest sporting spectacle. This was after they broke a 41-year jinx by claiming a bronze in Tokyo three years ago.
The 36-year-old Sreejesh came up with some excellent saves to leave his mark in the final game of his illustrious career that spanned 18 years. The Indians were the aggressors in the first quarter, dominating the early exchanges with precision, but Spain came back hard after the first 15 minutes.
Spain had nine penalty corners as against India’s six of which the latter converted two. Spain did have better share of possession but India were the more offensive side as they penetrated the Spanish defence regularly in the first 15 minutes.
They walked in with more purpose and intensity in the second quarter and pressed hard on the Indian goal. Spain took the lead in the 18th minute but Harmanpreet brought his A game to the fore yet again to steer India through.
