Germany have broken the Indian hearts here. They beat them 3-2. India took a last-minute attempt but it was not to be for India today
Germany has taken a lead now with a field goal as Marco Miltkau has scored off the left flank after an assist from Hinrichs.
Germany got a penalty corner after the ball was deemed a dangerous one by the referee but PR Sreejesh and a late deflection from captain Harmanpreet helped India prevent any mishaps.
The scoreline has remained 2-2 but not before harakiri that almost cost India! Germany's drag flick to convert PC was denied but the ball was still in the circle and the German strikers were not letting this opportunity go. Sreejesh went to his left to prevent the second shot before the ball was passed onto his right and Sanjay came forward to prevent the goal with a late deflection and India have breathed a sigh of relief.
Since the equaliser, both teams have taken a bit of a backseat and are trying to prevent the opponent from scoring.
Harmanpreet Singh - Sarpanch (as commentator Sunil Taneja likes to call him) - finally brings the variation and Sukhjeet Singh scores it. After another couple of failed attempts of converting a penalty corner, Harmanpreet finally tried a fast pass instead of a full-bloodied drag flick and Sukhjeet with a clever deflection helped his side get back into the game. India celebrates.
A terrific stop from JP Danneberg has denied India an equaliser as he put his hand up timely to prevent a thunderous drag flick from Harmanpreet as India failed to convert another penalty corner.
Germany are ahead now taking a 2-1 lead after getting a penalty stroke after the drag flick hit Jarmanpreet Singh on his foot and Christopher Ruhr scored his 112th international goal to put India under pressure. Can the Men in Blue comeback?
Abhishek would have had a third such goal from half turn but missed it by very close margin and the second quarter continues to belong to Germany.
Gonzalo Peillat, who else? Germany's Gonzalo Peillat has converted the penalty corner as Jarmanpreet Singh missed the drag flick completely. Germany have levelled 1-1 third minute into the second quarter.
India got 7 penalty corners in the first quarter but one they converted was the biggest of them all. India will end the first quarter with a lead and will hope to maintain or extend it in the next 15 minutes.
It's been raining penalty corners for India in the first few minutes at the start of the semifinal with third and fourth in a row now. After three misses, captain Harmanpreet Singh finally converted the fourth one as he got a deflection and the ball looped into the goal.
Hardik Singh earned a couple of penalty corners for India in the first two minutes but Harmanpreet Singh and Co failed to convert both of them. However, it was a good start from India as they were quickly in Germany's circle.
Germany's the 'Deutschlandlied' played before India's 'Jana Gana Mana' echoed at the Yves Du Manoir Stadium and the match is set to kick off with a place in the Gold medal match at stake.
The Indian team will miss their top defender and first rusher Amit Rohidas' services after he was suspended for one match following the red card in the quarter-final. But how India played in those 42 minutes despite being a man down will give them a lot of confidence.
It has been 44 years since last the Indian team made it to the hockey final at the Olympics. But when they did play that, India won Gold. That's for later as India have to get through a German team which scored eight goal against France, five against South Africa and three against Argentina in the quarter-final. A familiar foe and one that India would fancy their chances against.
The Indian men's hockey team is chasing history as it takes on Germany in the semi-final at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday (August 6) evening at the Yves Du Manoir Stadium. Apart from a sole loss to Belgium, India have been solid but Germany is a tricky opponent given that they lost to the Men in Black in June in the FIH Pro League but have had a wood over them in 18 recent meetings since 2014.
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