FIH Pro League 2022-23: India leads the points table after defeating world champion Germany for the second time

India continued their impressive run in the FIH Pro League 2022-23 to go on top of the points table after thrashing world champions Germany 6-3 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Monday. This success is India's second biggest achievement after the 1936 Olympic Games where they recorded 8-1 victory over Germany.

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This was India's second win against Germany in three days. The win took the Harmanpreet Singh-led side to the top of the points table with 17 points from seven matches. Although, Spain also has 17 points but India is on top due to a better goal difference. Germany, meanwhile, stayed in the fourth spot with 11 points from seven matches.

Tom Grambusch gave Germany the lead in the third minute after converting a penalty corner. India, who registered a thrilling 5-4 win against Australia, however, equalized in the 21st minute through Jugraj Singh from a penalty corner. While Abhishek (22nd and 51st minutes) and Selvam Karthi (24th and 26th minutes) scored two goals each for the team. After that, Harmanpreet Singh (26th) scored another goal as India registered their third consecutive win in the FIH Pro League 2022-23. On the other hand, Gonzalo Peillat (23rd minute) and Malte Hellwig (31st minute) scored the other two goals for Germany.

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Meanwhile, India had earlier defeated Germany and Australia in their last two matches. In the recent FIH Pro-League 2022-23 encounter between India and Australia, Harmanpreet Singh-led Team India won the encounter 5-4. This was India's fifth outright win in seven matches in the 2022/23 season of the FIH Pro League 2022-23. 

In the next league match of FIH Pro League 2022-23, India will play against Australia, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion, on Wednesday. The hosts had beaten the Kookaburras 5-4 in a high-scoring thriller on Sunday. At the same time, the German team will play Australia this evening. Earlier, Germany had defeated Australia 1-0 in the Pro League.

Earlier, India had begun this season of the FIH Pro League 2022-23 with a 4-3 and 7-4 win against New Zealand followed by a 2-3 loss and 2-2 (3-1 SO) win against Spain in the home games played in October-November last year.