'Chak De India!' Men's Hockey Team Bags Medal After 41 Yrs At Tokyo Olympics

India's 41-year-long wait has finally come to an end with the men's hockey team winning the bronze medal.

The hockey team displayed a great counter-attacking game as it defeated Germany 5-4 in the bronze medal play-offs at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics. The men's team won a medal after a long gap of over 40 years.

India won the last medal in hockey way back in the 1980 Moscow Games. It had bagged gold for the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the men's hockey team on bringing back glory to the country and said that it indeed is a historic day, and it will be truly be etched in the memory of every Indian.

With this historic win, the medal tally for India stands at four.

Historic Win

The Indian team began on the back foot, with the Germans pushing to their strengths. They took a very early lead in the game. Meanwhile, the Indian team, with a shaky start, was figuring out the tactic.

With the commencement of the second quarter, Through a brilliant play, a magnificent pass down the center, and a fantastic reverse shot, the game was back to square one. But being their unwavering selves, Germans upped their charge and began causing more damage to the vulnerable defense.

The Indian team struck back quickly with some spectacular attacks in the second quarter. But it was the third quarter where they hit home.

From a two-goal deficit to take a two-goal lead, at the end of the third quarter, the Indian team had returned to its form.

Germany reduced the deficit as in the fourth quarter when it scored a goal from the penalty corner. Earlier at the half-time, team India, who were 1-3 down, equalised to 3-3 level at the half-time break.

During the last attack, a penalty corner for the opposition, PR Sreejesh rose to the occasion, with probably one of the most critical saves in his lifetime.

Goal-Getters for India

Simranjeet Singh scored a truss, while Hardik Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, and Rupinder Pal Singh were the rest of the goal-getters for India.

Germany's goalscorers were Lukas Windfeder, Timur Oruz, Benedikt Furk and Niklas Wellen.

It is India's third hockey bronze medal in the history of the Olympics. The other two came in 1968, Mexico City and the 1972 Munich Games.

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