Berlin, June 26 – The Indian junior men's hockey team concluded its campaign at the ongoing Four-Nation Tournament in Berlin with a 2-1 victory over Australia, securing third place. The closely contested match saw India come from behind after trailing in the third quarter.
Australia initially took the lead in the 40th minute when captain Toby Malan scored a field goal, breaking the deadlock after a goalless first half. Both teams had exchanged attacking plays in the initial two quarters, but neither could convert chances into goals.
India responded swiftly with an equalizer just five minutes later. Rohit capitalized on a penalty corner opportunity in the 45th minute to level the score at 1-1. Maintaining their momentum, India pressed forward in the final quarter.
As per agency report, Ajit Yadav scored the decisive goal in the 52nd minute through open play, giving India a 2-1 lead which they maintained till the final whistle, securing a well-fought win over the Australians.
India's journey in the tournament was marked by mixed results. They began with a heavy 1-7 defeat to host nation Germany, bounced back with a strong 3-1 win over Australia in the pool stage, but then suffered a 1-5 loss against Spain. With the third-place finish, India wrapped up its participation in the tournament on a positive note.
