Indian men’s hockey team won the Olympic medal after 41 years, defeating Germany 5-4 to win the bronze.
Simranjeet Singh (17th, 34th minutes) scored a brace, while Hardik Singh (27th), Harmanpreet Singh (29th), and Rupinder Pal Singh (31st) were the other goal-getters for world no.3 India.
Germany started quickly at the Oi Hockey Stadium, taking the lead in the second minute with a deflected goal from Timur Oruz. Their midfielders dominated the quarter but goalkeeper Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh kept out the shots.
In the second quarter, India’s Simranjeet Singh scored the equalizer before Germany restored the lead through Niklas Wellen. Benedikt Furk then shot into an unguarded net after India conceded possession, to go 3-1 ahead. Two penalty corners for India saw Hardik Singh score on the rebound from the first, while Harmanpreet Singh nailed the second. Going into halftime it was 3-3.
India started brightly in the third quarter earning a penalty stroke in the first minute from which Rupinder Pal Singh scored to extend India’s lead to 4-2. Three minutes later, Simranjeet scored his second goal of the game to extend India’s lead to 5-3.
Germany scored another goal in the fourth quarter courtesy of Lukas Windfeder but it was not enough as India won the match 5-4 to take the bronze.