Paris Olympics 2024: 'I just wanted to play the best for Amit', says Sreejesh after shootout win over Britain
PR Sreejesh, who is playing in his final Olympic games, produced a legendary performance to help his side beat Great Britain 4-2 in shootout and enter the semi-finals in Paris despite playing the majority of the match with a man-less.
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FollowPR Sreejesh turned out to be India's hero yet again, this time during the quarter-final of the hockey match against Great Britain at the Paris Olympics 2024. The Men in Blue went down to 10 men after Amit Rohidas received a red card in the 17th-minute for dangerous play. However, Criag Fulton's men produced a wholehearted defensive performance to book their place in the semi-finals of the tournament. The match was tied at 1-1 in the regulation time after Harmanpreet Singh's opener was canceled out by Lee Morton. In the shootout, Sreejesh made two crucial saves to help his side prevail 4-2.
Sreejesh, who is playing in his final Olympics, having announced his retirement last month, made a combined total of 16 saves in the do-or-die match. the 36-year-old expressed his gratitude and said that he was glad to be playing two more now. "See when I stepped on this field today. There were two options for me. This could be my last match, or I get an opportunity for two more matches. And I think yeah, I got two more matches," Sreejesh told the broadcasters after India's win.
India's first-rusher during the penalty corners and defender Rohidas was sent off early in the second quarter for dangerously swinging his stick into a British players face. Although the decision looked a bit harsh, the Men in Blue didn't lose hope and gave their all in the next 43 minutes and came out with their heads held high.
"When Amit got the card, I thought, I just want to play the best for him because he is an asset to me as a defender. And I thought somewhere it all showed, the hard work, the dedication and the tough mentality because almost two, I mean most of the matches we played one match down, so that's a great effort from the team," Sreejesh revealed.
The four Indian shooters Harmanpreet, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Upadhyay and Ramkumar slotted home past British GK Ollie Payne. Meanwhile GB's third shooter Williamson Conor missed the target before Roper Phil was brilliantly denied by Sreejesh. Fulton's men will now face Argentina or Germany in the semi-finals.
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