India won asian hockey gold medal 2014 Asian Games
Asian Games 2014: India men win hockey gold; qualify for 2016 Rio Olympics
In a nerve-wracking contest, India beat Pakistan 4-2 in penalty-shootout to clinch the coveted hockey gold at the Asian Games in Incheon on Thursday.
This triumph ensures the Indian hockey team a berth at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
In a match between the arch-rivals and in the presence of a sell-out crowd, the two teams were locked at 1-1 at full time. Pakistan drew first blood when unmarked Mohammad Rizwan broke from the right and sounded the boards in the 4th minute.
India equalised in in the 12th minute through Kothajit Singh.
In the one-on-one shoot-off, Akashdeep Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Birendra Lakra and Dhramvir Singh scored for India, while Manpreet Singh failed to convert.
But India’s custodian and vice-captain P R Sreejesh produced breathtaking saves in the shoot-off to deny Pakistan’s Abdul Haseem Khan and Muhammad Umar Butta. Muhammad Waqas and Shafqat Rasool scored the goals for Pakistan.