Tokyo Olympics Hockey Points Table: Team India beats Spain 3-0; Australia tops Group A

Indian men's hockey team bounced back from their crushing loss to Australia in the previous match by beating Spain 3-0 in the Men's hockey tournament at Tokyo Olympics on Monday. A goal from Simranjeet Singh and a brace from Rupinder Pal Singh ensured India win ín this crucial encounter. The team will next take on Great Britain on Wednesday, July 28.

India vs Spain: Rupinder Pal Singh stars in Team India's victory

After giving away seven goals against Australia in the previous match, Manpreet Singh led team were looking to get back to winning ways and they did so in style. Simranjit Singh opened the scoring for the team in the 14th minute with a superb low shot which went well beyond Spain's keeper and into the bottom corner to give India the lead. Rupinder Pal Singh increased the lead in the very next minute by smashing in a penalty stroke. PR Sreejesh stood tall between the goal-saving Spain's penalty corners. India managed to maintain their 2 goal lead at the end of halftime.

The Men in Blue India are continuously pressing forward in search of more goals and nearly got their third through Dilpreet just 6 minutes into the third quarter. The match also witnessed drama at the end of the third quarter when the referee disallowed the Spanish goal. The hooter went off just before Spain scored but just before the hooter went off, the referee had played the advantage to Spain when it was a clear penalty corner. Spain went for a referral and the TV umpire awarded them a penalty corner but they failed to convert.  Rupinder Pal Singh put the match beyond Spain scoring his second goal with 9 minutes remaining in the match. 

Tokyo Olympics: Indian Men's hockey team position on the hockey points table

Australia is currently on the top of the Group A points table after winning all their matches in the tournament so far. India is second in the group with 2 wins and one loss so far.  Manpreet Singh and his team started the campaign with a 3-2 win over New Zealand before losing 1-7 to Australia in the second match. Argentina is third on the points table with one win, one draw and one loss from three matches. New Zealand and Spain occupy the fourth and fifth spot respectively, while host Japan are currently at the bottom of the pool with no wins. In Group B Belgium and Great Britain share the top spot on the points table. The third and fourth spot belongs to Germany and Netherlands, while South Africa and Canada round off the table with 5th and 6th spot respectively.