Result:

India draw with Poland 1-1.

INDIA : Dileep Tirkey (53 min)
POLAND : Tomas Cichy (68 min)

INDIA : 5 penalty corners - 1 converted
POLAND : 7 penalty corners, 0 converted

It was a wild day of fluctuating hockey fortunes leading up to the India - Poland match. Pakistan upset Holland and Britain upset Germany in the other pool. In Pool B, Australia beat Korea to top the pool.

India either needed to win, or draw at least 2-2 or higher, in order to take the #2 spot in Pool B.

The match started in pouring rain. With upto 10 men packing the Polish defence in the first half, India could get only 2 shots at the goal, both of which went abegging. Mukesh Kumar had a clear look at goal as early as the 4th minute, but rather than shoot, he held on to the ball for too long, and allowed the goal-keeper time to cover the angle. In the 14th minute, a nice bout of passing saw Sameer Dad in possession inside the Polish circle, but his shot went off the mark

In the second half, India forced three penalty corners in rapid succession. Off the third penalty corner, taken in the 53 minute, the push came to Ramandeep at the top of the D, his shot rebounded to Dhanraj who, quick as a flash, pushed square to the unmarked Dilip Tirkey. With a clear, unobstructed view of the goal, Tirkey slammed in before the goalkeeper, who was covering Dhanraj's angle, could recover.

India needed to hang on to this lead for the next 17 minutes. However, Mukesh Kumar committed a needless and blatant foul that saw him being sent off.

With India reduced to ten men, Poland launched waves of attacks in the Indian half. With just 90 seconds to go, Tomas Cichy took the ball on the right flank, wrong footed Indian skipper Ramandeep Singh with a deft body feint, charged into the striking circle, and whacked the ball past bewildered goalkeeper Jude Menezes.

In the last minute of the match, Dhanraj played like a man possessed, twice taking hard cracks at the goal, only to be foiled both times by the Polish goalkeeper. When the match ended, tears were streaming down Dhanraj's face. He had ended his Olympic career for India without a medal to show.

Poland had not played in Olympic hockey for the past 20 years. Back in the 1980 Olympics, Merwyn Fernandes had equalized for India against Poland with only 90 seconds left in the game. Fast forward to Sydney 2000. Tomas Cichy returned the compliment by equalising for Poland with only 90 seconds left. Such is fate. 

India, who ended up third in Pool B, will play Britain next in the matches for the 5-8 placing. With a view to the future, the coaches can give more playing time to our juniors like Gagan, Barla, Gill, Devesh, etc. Bring on the seniors 10 minutes or so into the game.

If we can at least salvage a 5th position out of this Olympics, India can participate in the next two Champions Trophy tournaments. We still have a target to achieve.