Rio: India men's hockey team defeats Argentina 2-1

After suffering its major loss against defending champions Germany, India on Tuesday bounced back into the competition with a 2-1 win against Argentina courtesy of goals from Chinglansena Singh and Kothajit Singh. 

Even as India outplayed Argentina in the first three-quarters, it was tested in the fourth quarter before the Indian hockey team could register a 2-1 win in the Group B Rio 2016 Olympics contest.

For team India, it was Manipur's Chinglensana Kangujam, who scored the opening goal in the eighth minute and the lead was later doubled in the third quarter by another Manipuri player - Kothajit Khadangbam.

The second win in the pool stage has virtually secured India a quarterfinal berth as they rose to the second position with six points. India dominated Argentina in the first three-quarters but came under tremendous pressure from the Los Leones in the final 15 minutes during which they conceded as many as five penalty corners.

Trailing 0-2, the Argentines played all out hockey in the final quarter as the Indians looked out of sorts.

It was a tense final quarter for the Indians after drag-flicker Gonzalo Peillat pulled one back for Argentina in the 49th minute by converting their first penalty corner with
a lethal strike that beat goalkeeper PR Sreejesh all ends up.

It looked as if it would turn out to be another heart break for the Indians, following their 1-2 loss to Germany yesterday after conceding a goal in the dying moments, as the
game was mostly played in the Indian half thereafter.

If not for Sreejesh, India could have suffered their second successive defeat in the Games. Sreejesh pulled off as many as five saves to deny Peillat and the Argentines.

India now will face Canada in the next game.