Hobart. The Indian men’s hockey team suffered a close 4-5 defeat in the penalty shootout against host Australia in the FIH Men’s Pro League 2025-26 match played at the Tasmania Hockey Center in Hobart on Sunday. By the end of the match, both the teams were tied with the score of 2-2.
Amit Rohidas (15th minute) and Jugraj Singh (43rd minute) scored for India, while the score was leveled with two goals from Australia’s Joel Rintala (47th and 56th minute).
The hosts dominated the early stages of the match and kept India confined to their half with consistent strong passing. However, the Indian team gradually started putting pressure on Australia by playing a determined defensive game. At the end of the first quarter, India got a penalty corner and Amit Rohidas scored a brilliant goal in the 15th minute to give India a 1-0 lead.
Both teams created chances in the second quarter. However, no goals were scored from either side. The Indian team, showing defensive play, maintained its one-goal lead till half time.
In the third quarter, Australia played aggressively and made continuous attempts to equalize, but in the 43rd minute, Jugraj Singh doubled India’s lead with a powerful dragflick shot from the penalty corner.
Australia’s Joel Rintala managed to reduce the gap by scoring a goal in the 47th minute of the fourth quarter. In the last minutes of the match, Rintala scored his second goal from a penalty corner to level the score at 2-2. After this the winner was decided by penalty shootout.
The penalty shootout was very exciting. Both teams converted their first four penalty goals, but Aditya Arjun Lalage’s effort in the final penalty was blocked by Jade Snowden. Due to this defence, Australia won the match 5–4.
The Indian team will now face Spain in their third match in the Hobart leg of the FIH Men’s Pro League 2025-26 on February 24.
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