Harmanpreet’s hat-trick hands India 4-1 win over Wales; enters semifinals

• Image Credit: Internet

• Aug 4, 2022 | Dhupali Das

Two minutes later, an agile Gurjant made it 4-0 by brilliantly rotating the face of his stick to deflect Samsher Singh's high pass in...

Digital Desk: Harmanpreet Singh scored a hat-trick as India's men's hockey team defeated Wales 4-1 in their last Pool B match on Thursday to advance to the Commonwealth Games semifinals.

Harmanpreet (19th, 20th, and 40th minutes) converted two penalty corners and scored one from the spot, while Gurjant Singh scored a field goal for India in the 49th minute.

Gareth Furlong, a drag-flicker, scored Wales' lone goal in the 55th minute from a set piece.

India was on track to win Pool B after the victory since they have a goal difference of 22 over England, who still have a match against Canada.

The Indians possessed a larger percentage of the ball in the first two quarters, but Wales fought hard against their well-liked rivals, especially in the opening 15 minutes.

India relied on rapid inter-passing and a few circle penetrations but failed to create any clear-cut chances, with the exception of a penalty corner in the eighth minute, which Varun Kumar failed to capitalize on.

Wales also made a few circle entries within the Indian D, and their finest opportunity came when an advancing Sreejesh stopped an unmarked Carlson's shot in a one-on-one situation.

After a lackluster first quarter, India won back-to-back penalty corners in the 18th minute, with the reliable Harmanpreet converting the second one with a low, powerful ground flick.

India won another penalty corner a minute later, and Harmanpreet showed off his wide array of skills with another successful conversion to give his team a 2-0 lead at the break.

After the ends were changed, India earned their fifth penalty corner but squandered the opportunity.

The bronze medalists from the Tokyo Olympics got back-to-back penalty corners in the 40th minute. The second penalty corner led to a penalty stroke, and Harmanpreet converted it perfectly.

Later, Wales goalkeeper Tobias Reynolds-Cotterill turned away Akashdeep Singh's close-range deflection.

Two minutes later, an agile Gurjant made it 4-0 by brilliantly rotating the face of his stick to deflect Samsher Singh's high pass in.

Wales quickly earned two more penalty corners, and Furlong took advantage of the second chance.

A minute before the final whistle, India earned another set piece, but Harmanpreet Singh was denied by the Wales defense.